Gate to Vannas 6: For the Good of SG1
by AkinaSky
Summary: 6th in GATE to VANNAS Series... The boys and their children are back where they belong, supposedly and there is nothing they can do but get back to normal, as normal as life with magical people and children can be but then there is the results of the previous story and how they were going to get through it, as always together. This is a Daniel/Jack with background Sam/Teal'c.
1. True Struggle

**For the Good of SG-1**

**Author's Note: Same as all the others, SG1 belongs to the show and everyone else belongs to me, please don't use them just enjoy. ;)**

**Chapter One: True Struggle**

The first days after returning to the Valley of the Vannas moved quickly for Daniel and Jack. Akina and Greer came over the morning after their return and Johnny quickly hugged his friend and refused to let go. Daniel planned out a workweek that mostly consisted of three classes for now as well as a few private lessons then they spent the afternoon hanging out with Adrian and his children. It wasn't until the early morning of the third day they were home that everything started coming down around them.

Early morning light streamed into the bedroom when a scream emitted from somewhere above their heads and Daniel rushed from the bedroom before even thinking about who was screaming. He rushed upstairs and knew that Jack was hot on his heels. Daniel found himself in Johnny's room and scooping their youngest son into his arms as the little boy continued to scream. Daniel winced at the sound but did not stop himself from tucking Johnny's head into his neck and immediately started murmuring words and shushing him gently. He felt Jack close in next to him and press a hand into the back of Johnny's neck before he left the room to check on the other children.

"Its gonna be okay JJ, we're home now and you're going to be okay."

He kept waiting for the emotional transference that they had been using since he was a baby to let them know what was going on inside Johnny but it didn't come. Daniel took another deep breath and just kept talking and rocking. He couldn't undo whatever was going on inside his son but Daniel could be here as the screams slowed to whimpers and settled into silence. Daniel just kept rocking even as the silence reigned once more in the house.

"Do you want to go back to bed?" Daniel asked, rubbing his fingers through Johnny's semi long blonde hair. He could feel Johnny's heart rate under his thumb as it calmed and steadied into a normal rhythm.

Johnny didn't nod or shake his head; nothing to tell Daniel what was going on inside the little boy.

"Do you want me to lay down with you?" Daniel whispered.

He got nothing in return; Daniel was really starting to worry about the radio silence. It was weird after constantly being filled with constant feelings from the mute little boy. So instead of continuing to guess Daniel picked up Johnny and walked out of the bedroom and downstairs to his bedroom. Johnny didn't fight it so Daniel figured it was fine with the child. He walked into his bedroom and climbed into bed awkwardly and laid Johnny down next to him. Daniel slipped his arm under Johnny's neck and the little boy tucked himself into Daniel's chest. He felt when Jack climbed into the other side of the bed and the retired General pressed close to Johnny and kissed the little boy gently. Daniel caught Jack's gaze and he gave a tremulous smile and Jack returned it gently.

"Are the others okay?" Daniel whispered over Johnny's head.

Jack nodded, "Yeah, just worried about Johnny."

"Me too," Daniel returned quietly.

With that Daniel closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep. There was nothing more he could do until Johnny told them somehow what he might need. He found he couldn't sleep so he just continued to rub his fingers through Johnny's hair and lay in bed. He knew Jack wasn't sleeping either but there was no way Daniel was going to talk about anything while Johnny was in bed with them. Not until he figured out what they were going to do to help their youngest get through everything that happened in the past.

Daniel had a feeling they were going to have to force the issue with Zale and Zada, as they were the only ones who were around Johnny during the kidnapping. Part of him was glad that Janet and Claire had very little interaction with the kidnappers, that they'd been asleep for most of the event but Zale, Zada and especially Johnny already had so much to deal with that this was just one more thing. How would they be able to deal with whatever happened to them?

Daniel started when Jack's hand reached over and touched the side of his face gently. Jack's callused fingers rubbed along Daniel's throat and around to the nape of his neck over Johnny's sleeping head and Daniel smiled again.

Jack sat up and leaned over their flighty child and pressed his lips to Daniel's in a gentle closed-mouth caress. Then he moved back a millimeter to speak into Daniel's lips, "Together remember?"

Daniel frowned though he knew exactly what his husband was saying, sometimes he liked to hear it out loud.

"That's what we do right?" he asked with another gentle kiss.

"Together like everything else then," Daniel whispered back.

"Always together."

Didn't ever seem to matter what they were going through as a couple or as a family, as long as Jack said that word, that phrase to him then Daniel felt like he could handle anything. It was actually amazing all they had accomplished together in the last ten years, including making the five most beautiful children in the world and doing everything in their power to be sure they knew that Jack and Daniel loved them despite the magical strangeness.

Coming back here, no matter what they would have to deal with would always be the right thing because they were together and their children were in a world that made sense to them.

With Jack's reassurances echoing in his mind, Daniel took a couple deep breaths and settled down to actually sleep, glad to finally let go of everything, the things that he couldn't control He would be there for his children but he couldn't stop life from happening. They did the right thing coming back but Daniel also understood finally that no matter what how they reacted, Daniel would deal.

With that self-assurance packed on top of Jack's words Daniel slept.


	2. Not Normal

**Chapter Two: Not Normal**

Jack struggled out of an exhausted sleep, rubbing his eyes hard to get the gritty feeling out of them then shifted to look across the bed but found it to be empty. Daniel and Johnny must be in the kitchen getting breakfast ready. Daniel had spent the last two days getting their home back into some semblance of order and that included the food they normally ate. The fresh fruit and eggs with some meat and bread though Jack had smuggled in several boxes of Fruit Loops when he was packing his bags much to Daniel's amusement as well as to the curiosity of Queen Zarkina and the twins. While they were still getting everything set for their disappearance the queen even munched on a bowl and decided that she didn't understand the need he had for the bizarre sugary food.

Jack was okay with that, more cereal for him.

He heaved a sigh and sat up in bed and reached out for the robe that was lying across the baseboard. It hadn't been there the night before, Daniel and he still after all these years traded off the morning routine and he always loved that Daniel made Jack's morning as easy as possible in whatever way he could. It was always these little things that made Jack all the more aware how much Daniel loved him and how lucky Jack was that he did.

He wrapped himself in the robe and walked out of the bedroom and down the short hall and into the kitchen where Daniel was standing at the counter and watching their children who were quiet and solemn. He frowned; he'd never seen them like that even with Johnny's visions. This was different and frightening. The Jackson-O'Neill household wasn't meant to be quiet like this. He walked over to the table and kissed each child on the head, noticing that they weren't practicing Latin or speaking at all. Zale and Zada were reading from some of their learning books Daniel packed back with them from the past, Janet and Claire weren't even eating and Johnny was staring off into space and when Jack placed a kiss on his head, the little boy didn't even look up at Jack and there was nothing coming from the bond they shared with Johnny.

It left Jack shaken and unsure about anything. He walked over to Daniel and took the couple of coffee that Daniel held out to him and leaned in to kiss his husband and felt the tremble through the connection. He frowned when he pulled back but Daniel just shook his head. He didn't want to discuss this while the children were in the house. It was probably why he was leaning against the counter, he didn't want to let the children know how worried he was.

Daniel had a private lesson with Greer and Johnny was staying with Jack and him at the house. Zale and Zada were going to be getting picked up soon by Akina and William for their Magis training. Janet and Claire were spending the morning with Uncle Adrian and Auntie Demi. Jack knew it was all part of letting the kids know they were loved and safe again, plus Zada and Zale were feeling emotionally out of sorts and Akina was concerned that it would lead to problems with their magical counterparts and that was something they didn't have time or the energy to fix right now. Everyone was so concerned about Johnny since no one had been getting through to him, and he'd always been okay before this. And because he wouldn't communicate with them, Jack and Daniel had no chance to find out how to help him.

"Daddy, I am not very hungry. Can I be done?" Zada asked politely and they both looked down and realized she'd only taken a few bites. Zale was close behind her when Daniel nodded to her. Janet and Claire looked to their siblings in curiosity. Jack looked to his twin girls and wondered again how they retained that beautiful innocence when their siblings had suffered at the hands of people in a world that would never understand what treasures they were. He was glad they had escaped the worst of it but he also didn't want to ignore them in case they were dealing with the trauma as well but more quietly, under the guise of normalcy.

Jack missed the days before their return to the past; he wished time and again that it had never happened. He wanted to hate Greer, hate the Magis inside the little boy because they had all been so damaged by the return. Daniel had questioned Jack's commitment to him and the kids, the kids were kidnapped and drugged and tortured and Daniel—Jack to this day still didn't want to think of what his family did to the love and light of his life.

"Jack?" Daniel whispered, pressing a gentle hand to Jack's arm. The retired soldier focused on his stunningly beautiful husband and smiled.

"Yeah? What?" he asked.

"You doing okay?"

"Yeah fine," he said, the lie tasting sour on his lips. He tried for a smile and watched as Daniel attempted to return it. They were both struggling, adrift in the sadness of what their family was going through. All because of that second being inside Greer. Jack shifted his gaze away from the kids before they noticed the simmering anger. He realized suddenly, he didn't care to eat; he just wanted to help his family.

There was a knock on the front door so he waved Daniel off and walked through the living room area and to the door, opening it to find Akina, William and Greer standing on the other side. Jack tried to shove back the irrational anger he felt for the child and welcomed the family inside. "Good morning," he added with false cheer.

Akina looked at him with that little knowing tilt to her head, she nodded to William and Greer and they walked passed Jack into the kitchen. Akina walked backwards outside and Jack followed and tugged the door closed and waited for the anger and recrimination. He knew he deserved it for the unfair assessment of the woman's small child.

"I know this is a hard time, I know you are struggling through this and I'm sorry that my son was a part of that."

Jack frowned, almost taking a step back in shock, "What?"

"I mean it Jack, his power is volatile and destructive. I should have spent more time learning what his abilities were but I was too sucked up in the drama of my war, I should've been more attentive to the child I had only just learned was mine. You suffered for it."

"No," Jack whispered and locked his eyes with her emerald gaze, "My family did. My husband was almost raped, he was belittled and hurt repeatedly by our past time, by the people we thought we could trust. My children were kidnapped, tortured and drugged because of how special they are. All of this because your child has an alter ego who figured we didn't belong here and that we were somehow screwing things up."

Akina stepped forward as Jack's voice died off in big panting breaths and she tugged him close for a rare caring hug. He could feel the supernatural calming buzz slip through his veins and he allowed it even though he didn't really like it. He didn't want to walk back into the house like this, his vision gathering spots from breathing to hard, and there was a pressure in his chest that he knew was reminiscent of a panic attack or possibly a heart attack but then the calm soothed out his rhythms and he pressed his forehead into Akina's neck and took a few deep breaths.

He pushed away from Akina gently and looked into her eyes and spoke as truthfully as he could, "I understand that there were mistakes made and I need you to understand, I cannot just pretend they all swing back to your kid but he might be the only one capable of bringing Johnny out of this isolation. I understand it's a completely different personality but if this 'Varrick' character comes out anywhere near my kid or the rest of my family and he will be barred from my home until you help him get it under control."

Akina nodded, "I understand."

With that, all the tension in Jack eased and they walked back inside the house. William was speaking quietly to Zada and Zale as they slipped on their boots. Johnny was sitting on the bottom step and Greer was sitting next to him and he was speaking with his hands. Jack couldn't keep up with the speed of the motions and noticed that Johnny was at least nodding or shaking his head in answer to some of the motions. It was more than Jack and Daniel had seen for a few days now. Jack sighed and walked into the kitchen where Daniel was sitting at the table, pressing his fingers into his eyes harshly and the twins weren't there, possibly upstairs pulling together some toys for the day. Jack moved and sat down next to Daniel, nudging his glasses out of the way and tugging Daniel into his arms. The younger man came willingly, his arms gripping the back of Jack's neck desperately. Jack's leg straddled the bench and Daniel's body eased into his warmth easily. Jack's hand slipped into the back of Daniel's hair and rubbed it gently.

"It's like he's not here in my head anymore, I don't know how to talk to him without the emotional transference. I just want our little boy back, how do we get him back?" every word was whispered into the side of Jack's neck and the older man's heart broke because he felt every word deep down in his soul. Johnny was his baby; their youngest special little boy and he'd always been the strongest of them. Seeing him now like the shell of his former self destroyed Jack's heart.

He took in a deep breath and pressed his lips into the side of Daniel's face, "I know love."

"Coming back here was supposed to be the right thing, right? That's still true right?"

"Of course Danny, they would have been taken again if we stayed in our time. There were too many dangers all around; here we can keep them safe as best we can. Here we are together and now we just have to work through the wreckage and rebuild what was before."

"The cracks will still be there, he's going to be fragile."

Jack nodded, "Maybe but maybe not."

Daniel sighed, "What?"

"I think he could be stronger, you didn't break and neither will he. It's in the genes."

"He's not my biological son," Daniel said with a snort.

"When it comes to inner strength, all of our children got that from you Jackson."

Daniel sighed deep and pressed deeper into Jack's shoulder for a moment then he pushed away, stopping only to kiss Jack on the lips. It was a quick and desperate closed-mouth kiss before the younger man stood from the table and started doing the dishes. There it was, Daniel's amazing ability to keep moving forward with the next thing that had to be done. Jack got up from the table and brought Daniel's glasses over and placed them on the counter and pressed another kiss to Daniel's cheek and turned back to the living room where Zada and Zale were waiting for him.

"Daniel, come and hug your babies before they go," Jack said. Daniel rushed into the room as the twins were complaining about the 'babies' comment, because they were nine and a half and were definitely not babies. Jack smiled at the completely normal response from them and watched as Daniel whispered something to Zada before he kissed her cheek then repeated the action with Zale, pressing his forehead to his little boy's and Zale smiled into the touch.

Jack leaned down and took his daughter's waist in between his much larger hands, "You have a good time and learn lots okay?"

She nodded, "Of course Papa."

Zada leaned in close and hugged him tightly and he returned the hold. "I love you Zada," he whispered.

"Love you Papa bear."

He smiled and kissed her jaw before he passed her to Akina's care. He moved to Zale who was staring at the floor, "You gonna be okay Z-Man?" he asked quietly.

Zale nodded, "Of course Papa."

He still wasn't making eye contact with Jack so he just leaned in close and hugged the boy tightly, "I love you so much little man."

Zale sniffled in his ear; like the words somehow undid all the control he was holding onto, "I love you too." The words were achingly halted and Zale started to pull away.

Even though he didn't want to do it, Jack finally released Zale and the parents watched as Akina and William said goodbye to Greer who barely looked up from his apparent one-sided conversation with Johnny. The foursome walked out the front door and Greer looked up at Daniel, "Are we going to start my lesson?"

"Let me get dressed and yes we will start."

Greer nodded and Jack watched as his husband walked back into their room to get changed from the pajama pants, t-shirt and robe he was in. Jack was left wondering again where the twins were so he looked at Greer, "Are the girls upstairs?"

Greer nodded but didn't look at Jack, so he walked around the boys on the stairs and found Janet and Claire in one of the girls' rooms. "Hey girls, are you ready to hang out with Uncle Adrian and his family today?" he asked happily.

They nodded but said nothing.

He sat down on the bed, watching as they grabbed a few toys and stuffed them into backpacks. He hoped what he was about to do wouldn't hurt them in the end, "Will you talk with me please?"

"Of course Papa," they said in unison. Their little happy voices were a balm to his shattered nerves.

"Do you want to talk to me about when those bad men took you away from me and your daddy?"

They looked at each other then moved to sit next to him on the bed, each taking one of his hands in strange backwards comfort. "Papa," Janet started. "We slept, it was weird cus we could not wake on our own but they didn't touch us. They hurt Zale and Zada and Johnny. We're sad that they were hurt and we don't want to make trouble while they hurt."

Jack groaned, it was why they were being so quite. They were trying to be the perfect little children so Jack and Daniel could worry about the others. It was so ridiculously Daniel-esque that Jack wanted to cry and laugh hysterically at the same time. He hugged them tightly, "Just be yourselves, okay babies." They nodded and Jack just held them for a little while, grateful that they weren't silently hurting, just being self-sacrificing like their Daddy. Jack just loved them all too much for words some days and this was one of those days.


	3. Inside Z Twins

**Chapter Three: Inside Z-Twins**

Zale walked silently next to his sister away from their Valley home and towards the castle where they were going for their training while Greer stayed with their Daddy for his language lesson and he didn't know how to deal with the truth. He didn't know how to tell his parents there was something definitely wrong with him and his powers because he was sure his Papa would feel relieved even if it meant half of Zale wasn't there anymore.

Ever since returning home, he hadn't heard a peep from Xylander.

He might have been a crazy mental companion for much of Zale's life but he didn't understand how to access his powers well without the mental Magis counterpart. He still had power boiling beneath the surface, needing an outlet but Zale had been slow to learn his powers without Xylander's mental lessons especially after they ended up in the past. He couldn't even heal himself, got cut the other day while he and Zada were sparring and had called out to Claire to heal him, embarrassed and pleading with his little sister not to say anything to their parents.

Zada knew of course, they basically lived in each other's minds a lot of the time but she knew more so because he wasn't mentally talking back because he found he couldn't. Zale couldn't even transfer his feelings easily anymore, working hard to maintain some normalcy with his fathers who were already struggling with Johnny's isolation. They were so desperate for Johnny to find his way back to them and Zale couldn't pull their focus from his little brother who had stopped speaking to anyone, even Greer.

"Here we are," Queen Zarkina said as they walked inside to the great hall where much of their classes were held, that way the queen would be easily available if anyone were to need her.

Zale was about to head off with William, his normal teacher when the queen stopped him with a gentle hand on his shoulder and motioned for her spouse to take Zada for today then she sat down and Zale moved to sit next to her, knowing that she knew something more than he was willing to have her know. That was one of the many obnoxious things about being around a magical queen who could see into the minds of those around her—no secrets.

"Will you tell me about it?" she asked gently.

Zale shook his head, if she was going to know then she was going to work for it he thought stubbornly. Papa Jack would be obnoxiously proud of his attitude, Zale figured.

"Xylander is silent then?" Akina asked.

He nodded, still saying nothing as he picked at the tips of his fingers.

"He's not gone, I promise you that."

"How do you know?" he asked, then groaned since he was trying to maintain the 'silent treatment' as his papa called it. He'd watched Daddy's use of the silent treatment work on Papa Jack more than once over the course of his lifetime but sometimes being the curious child did not work well with manipulation schemes especially against magical queens.

"I know because you still have his power and the deep well of knowledge deep within you. I believe he is sleeping for some reason, something to do with the drugs you were bombarded with back in the past."

"But he spoke to me before we left, I could hear him until we came home."

"Perhaps it was only when you returned that Xylander would be sure of your safety and so he could sleep it off."

Zale frowned, "Why would he even care if I was safe?"

"He understands that if you die then so does he, that's how the Magis/Vannas relationship works and though you may be human you are also Vannas."

"The power, I can feel it trying to over flow, I have been able to throw a little off but its not enough is it? Not without his help to accomplish things with my powers."

"No," Akina said and she took his hands gently into hers. "I can help you learn to siphon off the power before it starts leaking all over everything which you do not want, trust me."

"Are you going to tell my parents?" he asked, tugging his hands loose. He didn't really like to be touched anymore, his parents and siblings were the only ones he felt comfortable with anymore after everything that happened. He knew he could trust the Queen but without his internal emotion-sensor and lie detector it was hard to remember to trust. He didn't understand how his fathers' had learned to trust without it their whole lives.

"For now I will let you tell them what you need to tell them but if you have not done so before another seven days have passed then I will take it out of your hands."

Zale nodded, a week was long enough to see if he could get this under control, maybe Xylander would return and he would be able to return to some normal inner balance.

Then again, he was his Daddy Daniel's son and Papa made jokes about Daddy's crazy luck all the time. He would say how Daddy could find any problem on the planet, that he had this amazing ability to unerringly find his way to a problem, thankfully followed up most of the time with a solution as well but yeah, Zale was Daddy Daniel's kid and maybe crazy luck was as genetic as his need to protect his siblings above himself as much as the blue eyes and black hair he carried from his biological parents.

"I can also help you learn to use the powers without his help, William had started to train you but I have had to do what you have done, completely block yourself off from the Magis. It will also help with the burning need inside of you. Our counterparts are made to be utilized constantly because our bodies were born to pull magic from the world around us, it makes the magic easily accessible but for those of us with huge power wells, it also makes life a lot interesting."

Zale smiled and he nodded again, "What should I do?"

Across the room Zada watched as Zale held out his hand to Akina and started some simple exercises, to start the use of magic slowly. She knew what her brother was going through and knew how little she could do to help. Zada hoped that the queen and king would be able to help.

"Zada, are you listening?" William asked her.

She shrugged, "I don't want to play with magic today sir."

William smiled, "Makes sense, you guys have gone through a lot."

"I watched my baby brother, the most innocent of us tortured into using his abilities to hurt another person. We didn't ever think he was capable of such a thing. He saw our kidnapping come true, he saw Daddy Daniel get hurt and no one could listen to him when they needed to. I don't know how to find my way back to the girl I was before we were taken to the past. I don't know how to be the family that we were before."

"I do not wish to alarm you Zada, but there is not a way back to the person you were before."

Zada frowned at him, "What do you mean?"

"You cannot undo the past, even with Greer at your side. If we were to go back and undo the damage done to you in the past, you might make things worse. Think about what your Papa and Daddy went through with the attacks on Daddy Daniel, do you think they still love each other? That they trust each other even more?"

She thought back to the days after the fights with Jack's family, after the attack at the wedding not to mention on base. All those times when Zada was sure Daddy was going to pull away and they were going to get separated and lose part of their family, because she knew that happened to couples sometimes, even in the Valley though divorce was quite different here. Not once did either of them walk away, each time the two of them came back stronger and loving. They never took the fights out on the kids and they were always present for her and her brothers and sisters.

"I think they just love each other and us even more," she finally said.

"Would you want that to change?" William asked.

"No!" she snapped and then looked down sheepishly, her papa might be okay with speaking to the royal couple like that but she didn't think it was right, "Sorry."

"No harm done," William returned.

"So I have to figure out a way to be this new self?"

William nodded, "We always have to find a way to stay true to ourselves even when we change because of the things that happen. Just try and remember that."

Zada nodded and took a deep breath, "They hurt Johnny to try and make me talk, I couldn't stop them."

"Have you told your fathers' about this?" William asked gently, taking Zada's hands between his larger and warm palms.

She shook her head quickly, "I didn't want them to know how badly I failed Johnny. Maybe he won't talk to us because he thinks we won't be there for him, like I wasn't."

"Oh Zada," William whispered. "You have to know that you did the best you could but if you were drugged and tied down then there was not a whole lot you would be able to do. You all made it out alive and mostly unharmed, now you just have to forgive yourself and let them do the same."

Zada wondered if she could do that, there had been one cardinal unspoken rule since Johnny was born and later when they learned he was mute and would have problems with the premonitions and that one rule was: _Protect Johnny_ at all costs. She failed and there was no way around that.

"You need to speak to your parents Zada, they need to know how you're feeling otherwise they cannot help you."

Zada tugged her hands away from the king, "They shouldn't have to help me. I can do this on my own."

"But you do not need to," William crooned gently, "They love you just as much as Johnny and the twins and Zale. They want to do whatever is necessary for you all to find your way back together, to some sense of normal even if that normal is slight different then what you had when you left here."

Zada nodded and decided that for now maybe magic practice was better than talking.


	4. Lesson Plans

**Chapter Four: Lesson Plans**

After seeing Jack off with the twins, who were going over to spend the afternoon with Uncle Adrian and his family, Daniel settled in his reclaimed office with Greer sitting next to him and Johnny was sitting on the couch across the room, just staring down at a book. He wasn't doing anything, just sitting there.

Daniel started the lesson easily, translating and then slipping into some easy sentences. Greer, having been with them for the last six months, was catching on to Latin quickly since he'd practiced with them every morning. He moved a little quicker to harder sentences then out of nowhere; Greer whispered to him still in Latin, _"He will not speak to me either, not really. I do not know how to help him."_

Daniel answered in Latin as well, _"I just want to feel him again inside my head. Just stay close to him and make sure he's safe even if he's not talking. We need to find a way to get him to open up."_

_"I will do my best," _Greer said then quickly moved back into the lesson plan. Daniel took notes on the areas where Greer could work on until their next practice. He finished within the hour-long slot of time that was promised to the little boy then he released the kids to go and play upstairs and he was left alone at his desk. He pulled out one of his leather bound journals and started writing.

He wrote about being back here and struggling with Johnny through nightmares and no emotional transference. He didn't understand how to communicate with his son without that magical ability and the newer one that allowed the little boy to use telepathy with them. Daniel knew he could turn back to the experience with Henry, maybe use that or some of the crazy things that had happened to them over the years to connect with Johnny and possible get him to open up but he didn't want to make things worse. Daniel knew that they were going to get through this like everything else but it seemed like this was so much worse, Daniel just knew this loss of innocence was destined to change all of their children in a fundamental way. It was a hard pill for Daniel to swallow, that it had happened in the time he was born into, in a place he was sure they could trust. Maybe, he thought before he leaned down to continue writing, maybe Daniel was suffering from that loss of innocence as well. Through the life that he'd had, abuse in the system after his parents died not to mention the mistreatment in his peer group, he figured there was no more innocence to lose but apparently this was different.

He trusted Jack's family, only to be constantly and consistently hurt by them, except of Ben of course. He trusted that he was safe on the base from small minded bigots and that wasn't true either and finally he was so sure that the line that someone wouldn't cross for the sake of knowledge and advancement would be his children, Daniel knew in his gut that he could trust that no one would ever hurt his children for something so petty as power.

And he was wrong.

It was a hard pill to swallow and maybe that was part of the problem with the children, they couldn't trust in a world that their Daddy didn't trust either. Jack had seen so much worse in the world, the most awful ways people can hurt each other and he'd learned to live with it and be a good a loving and not a super paranoid father and so could Daniel. Daniel's pen the whole time was furiously writing, trying to get all these thoughts on the page before they were whisked away in a flurry of new thoughts coming in.

He wondered if there was such a thing as a psychiatrist in this world, someone who he could talk through his problems with and maybe find a way to help Johnny through this hard time without forcing him into something he wasn't ready for. It was clear the little boy didn't want to communicate but what could Daniel be saying to help?

Sometimes it was tough to remember that he wouldn't be failing his kids by asking for outside help. First he needed to talk to Jack, it was possible that they could find a different way to go about this but this had been a seriously hard time for Daniel because for the first time in Johnny's life he wasn't connected to his parents, it wasn't the first time Zale and Zada had been in trouble or had been acting strangely but Johnny had always been their sweet little emotional boy who was constantly share what he was feeling. The best thing Daniel could do for his son right now was stop taking it personal and figure out what the best thing for Johnny might be.

He was just putting away his journal when he heard a shout and ran out and up the stairs to find Johnny pressing Greer down, somehow holding the older boy down and they were both screaming. Daniel rushed over and pulled his son away from Greer, amazed when he immediately wanted to drop Johnny. There was pain coming off of him and soaking into Daniel's skin through their contact. Daniel grunted in pain but kept holding his son, determined that the magic of it all was not going to scare him away from caring for his little boy.

"Johnny, I'm right here. You're okay, please just calm down," he whispered into the side of Johnny's dirty blonde hair. After several gasping pain filled moments, Johnny calmed down and Daniel finally looked over to see Greer sitting up calmly in the bed. There was some sort of understanding in his eyes that Daniel was grateful for and hated all at once. He pressed another kiss to the side of Johnny's face and put his little boy on the floor. Johnny walked over to the little chair in the other corner and just flopped down and stared at the counter and doing nothing. And suddenly, Daniel can't handle the silence anymore. He rushed over to Johnny, kneeling down in front of his youngest son and looked at him, "Please baby, tell me what you need. I would do anything for you. Anything to make sure you are going to be okay, I don't know how to help you if you can't open up with someone. If you can't talk to me then maybe Papa Jack or Greer. Please baby, tell me how we can help."

He rubs at the tears slipping down his cheeks before he presses his forehead into Johnny's slack hands and tries desperately not to sob out loud. He has completely lost track of the fact that Greer is still sitting quietly on the bed behind them, that Jack could be coming home anytime or that Akina and William would be bringing Zale and Zada home anytime now. None of that matters right now as he lets go of his son's little hands and just wraps his hands around Johnny's waist and holds him loosely, hoping against hope that he won't push Daniel away in whatever mood this was Johnny seemed to be trapped in.

He felt as Johnny's hands pulled out and away from Daniel's face and he really did just die a little inside, his son was pulling away and there was nothing he could do.

The flutter of movement made him quiet though, he didn't know what it was. He just sucked in a deep breath and released it slowly, then another before the flutter came back for another round along the back of Daniel's head and down to his neck. Then it moved away and came back more firmly and then Daniel could feel each individual finger as it stroked down his head and Daniel stopped breathing for a moment before he exhaled again. He didn't want to upset whatever was happening so he tried to just keep breathing and feeling whatever he was feeling. He loved Johnny so much, he would do anything for him and that was all he knew right now.

Then just as Johnny's fingers made another pass along the skin of his neck Daniel could feel a seconds worth of feeling, and he sucked in a breath when he realized how much was jam-packed into that one instant. Daniel felt sadness, almost depression, also shame and anger and confusion then on the next pass there it was again. The sense of emotion in his son, and there was concern for all of them and love. Daniel sobbed as quietly as he could, trying not to upset Johnny any further. He ignored everything else except pressing his fingers into the skin of Johnny's little waist and hoping that the love and care and the concern he felt washed over Johnny, that the love was more powerful than the fear. That the concern had everything to do with wanting Johnny to be okay no matter what and it was never going to be about judging him.

Daniel hoped as Johnny pulled away after the last burst of emotion and Daniel fell back to sit on the floor in front of Johnny and give the little boy some space from the emotional turmoil they were both drowning in and he looked up to see Johnny's deep brown eyes locked on Daniel's gaze and the proud and worried father gave the best watery smile he was capable of.

Daniel wondered about the shame and recalled only moments before when the pain Johnny was transmitting into him actually turned into physical pain and not an echo. It had happened before and Daniel thought maybe he knew part of the reason for Johnny's withdrawal. He whispered when he finally spoke, "Whatever happened, whatever you had to do to survive, I don't care. I'll still love you. Papa Jack will probably give you a high five and your sisters and brother are going to love you too. None of us are going to stop loving you for any reason."

Daniel waited after that, allowing the silence to slip into his head and heart. He just sat and allowed Johnny to do whatever he was going to do and watched as the little boys shaking hand reached out and pressed into the side of Daniel's face. Daniel didn't even lean into Johnny's touch and then things were flashing into his mind. Things that had happened in the past, he watched as a soldier yelled at Zada. He watched as the soldier laid his hands on Johnny's throat and he felt the jolt through his leg, like a zat hitting him but luckily it was just an echo of the pain and then Johnny threw the sensation of pain at the man and he stumbled back, hitting the wall violently then tumbled to the ground. Daniel refused to pull away despite the agony he felt when he thought of what Johnny had gone through, he wanted to go back in time and kill the men who would dare to touch his precious little boy.

Johnny pulled his hand away from Daniel's cheek but Daniel caught the little hand and pressed his lips to Johnny's palm, "Changes nothing baby, I'll love you so much and I wish I could go back and make sure that man can never hurt another person again. I hope you can understand how desperately your Papa and I need you to be safe."

Johnny nodded but he tugged on his hand until Daniel released it and Daniel struggled to his feet. He leaned down and pressed another kiss to the crown of Johnny's head before he turned to Greer and motioned for him to leave the room. Just as they were leaving Johnny to have a moment alone the door opened and Zada and Zale came in with William and Akina in tow. Good, he would need to tell the other parents what happened as well as get some answers about what he walked in on.


	5. Extended Family

**Chapter Five: Extended Family**

Jack didn't know he missed Adrian so much until he was back in their home, while his wife DK hugged Janet and Claire and they all settled on the floor and Jack was wrapping the younger man into a tight hug. Adrian chuckled then tightened his arms as well, breathing in the presence of each other. They stayed like that for a long time, probably longer than comfortable and then DK chuckled, "I could leave if you wish. I know how you like them younger Jack."

Jack shoved Adrian playfully at his wife's words, "Eww, I only like them Daniel style, you can keep this ugly one."

Adrian snorted then they both settled on the couch and watched the children play for a while when Adrian turned to Jack, "I'm happy you guys are back. We've missed you around here. The kids cried for weeks, missing you. They would call out your names and scream at the door, Zara forbid we walk past your house."

Jack smiled at his friend, "I'm glad to be back here as well though I spent so much time the first six months we were here hoping to get home. After being back and seeing the way we were treated, the way Daniel was treated and I wish we'd never gone back."

Adrian nodded and pressed a hand into Jack's shoulder for a second, "How's the kids doing? These two seem to be doing okay."

Jack nodded and sighed even as he rubbed his hand through his hair, "Yeah they got out without too much damage but Johnny is completely withdrawn, didn't want to come here today. Zale and Zada are having trouble though we don't know the extent of it because they don't want to talk to us."

Adrian frowned, "They won't talk to you? Those kids communicate better than most adults I know."

Jack nodded, "That's why its so upsetting, Daniel it losing his mind over it."

"I bet," Adrian said with a sigh. "Johnny and Daniel have always been close, with his nightmares and everything."

"Yeah Daddy Daniel can calm him when no one else can. I get it, I feel the same way a lot of the time. I think it's another reason why Daniel getting hurt almost tore my heart out. I need him to be safe and happy, same with the kids."

Adrian looked down at DK and smiled at her, "I get that. When Dani and Neil were born and we realized that they had powers despite their lineage but nothing could make me touch them in a way to hurt them. I don't need to be around you guys to be in control anymore, I just sometimes wish I was still there because it was the most accepting and loving place I'd ever been in a long time."

Jack grinned, "You're gonna make me cry Adrian and then I'm gonna have to kill you."

Adrian laughed at that, soon joined by DK who was listening to their conversation. Jack watched as Claire slipped away from her sister and the younger two children and climbed up on the couch next to Jack and curled into his side. Jack immediately started running gentle fingers through her dark blonde hair and she laid a small hand on his chest and patted him in comfort. Jack smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"How can I make you happy Papa?" Claire asked him quietly.

Jack looked over to Adrian who was smirking in that special way that made Jack think of himself constantly, it also made the retired soldier want to cuff the younger man around the ears. "She asked you a valid question Jack."

He leaned down and pressed another kiss to Claire's forehead and just let the love he felt for her and what she felt for him just rush over his skin and into his heart. "Its not your job to make me happy baby but you do. I'm just worried about your brothers and sister right now."

"We'll be together right? You always say that as long as we're together then everything is going to be okay."

Adrian snickered at that and Jack did reach out and cuff him behind the ears, "What?" the younger man asked as he rubbed his head, "You and Daniel do say that a lot. I heard it a lot when I was living there, whispered nothings at all hours of the day."

"Are you saying you and DK don't have a thing?" Jack asked incredulously.

DK turned her head and gave Jack a look then gave another to Adrian basically saying, 'don't be mean to him and you're an idiot' though Jack wasn't sure which look went to which person. She probably meant them both for both looks. Who ever knew with women, one of the reasons he was pleased with being in love with a man since Daniel may be complicated but he's not _that _complicated.

"Our thing is saying 'I love you'," Adrian responded with a roll of his eyes.

"We say that too but the 'together' thing that was something that encompassed our entire friendship then marriage, as long as Daniel and I are together we can do amazing things that others can't seem to do."

"So sweet I could gag," Adrian said sarcastically.

Jack ignored him as he looked down to Claire again, "We're going to be together little girl and we're all going to be okay."

Claire nodded, happy with the response and settled back against Jack for a few minutes before she went back to playing with her sister. Jack turned again and looked at Adrian, "So how has it been here since we were gone?"

Adrian shrugged, "Akina has started to get more proactive about her war against Zarcorp which could turn out to be a good thing or a bad thing, there's no way to know."

"Has she been stupid about it?" Jack asked in his normal rude straightforward way.

Adrian stared at him and snorted in amusement, Jack didn't understand why everyone thought he was so darn amusing all the time in this place. He really should take offense to that but after all these years and being married to Daniel for over ten, it just wasn't important enough to have a problem over. "Sometimes I think she is incredibly short sighted but then we later find out that whatever she did turned out to be the best thing for all of us."

Jack nodded, "She has learned a lot about battle tactics over the years."

"Guess who's to blame for that," Adrian muttered.

Jack snorted this time, "I only fed the beast, it already existed before I got here or do I need to remind you of the walkabouts she would do in the city just to make eyes with Zarcorp's cameras."

Adrian laughed out loud, making Claire and Janet jump at the sound, something that Jack would not forget. They didn't jump at the sound of happy laughter before the kidnapping, so they might say they are completely fine but they weren't really. Not completely anyway. Jack wiled away his afternoon with Adrian, who had become like his teenage son when they first met about five years before. Adrian had touched Daniel and Jack's life and he was pleased to be a part of it once again.


	6. At Day's End

p class="MsoNormal"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"Chapter Six: At Day's End/strong/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"a name="OLE_LINK4"aa name="OLE_LINK3"/aspan style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"When Akina and William arrived in Daniel's living room, he sat them down and explained to them that Greer was fine but somehow Johnny had hurt him momentarily. Daniel didn't have time to sit the boy down but when the ten year old joined them he took over the stilted explanation in the face of his concerned parents. Zada and Zale disappeared up the stairs to see Johnny./span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""I pushed Johnny to talk to me and he wouldn't, I kept at him and when he put his hands on my neck, the past flashed through my mind and the pain he felt was more than I can imagine such a sweet boy ever living through."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Daniel took a deep breath at the other boy's description and knew he felt the same thing when Johnny touched his mind a little bit ago."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""He wasn't trying to hurt me, Johnny was desperate to release some of the pain he was in, he feels shame about what he had to do to survive and I tried to show him that it was okay. What he is feeling is okay but he was going to be okay."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Daniel sniffled as he wiped at the tears slipping quietly down his cheeks and reached over to press a comforting hand into Greer's thin shoulder, "Thank you but I didn't want you to get hurt because of it."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""Pain happens, especially with power involved and I would gladly take the pain again and again for Johnny because I need to know he is going to be okay." Daniel looked into those dark green eyes and knew the young one was telling the truth. span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Greer and Johnny were so close, had gotten even closer in the past six months in the past and close quarters with each other and Daniel was left wondering if Akina spoke the truth so long ago, that their sons were maybe destined to be more than friends. Thankfully that was quite a few years away from being a concern but Daniel did wonder.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Daniel turned at looked at Akina who shrugged, "He has a point, there would be no reason to punish the boy for trying his best to communicate what happened to him, even if those ways are a tad unconventional."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"William spoke up, "About Zada and Zale, you need to speak with them as soon as possible. They are dealing with a lot more than you realize."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Daniel nodded, "Thank you for telling me. Are you planning their training schedule to coincide with Greer's sessions for a while?"span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Akina nodded, "We should see Zale and Zada for training every day for a time. Greer can come here and train with you but also see Johnny since my son is so good for yours sometimes."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Daniel nodded again, pleased that they had a plan in place even if it only helped a little. Akina and William took their son and walked out of the house again leaving Daniel sitting on the couch and listening to the quiet talking of the twins upstairs. They were probably talking with Johnny and he wondered if his strong little boy was actually talking back. He would have to figure it out later. For now though he just flopped back on the couch and just stayed there quietly and still. He could feel the headache building in the back of his mind. Daniel knew he should get up and go get something made for the kids to eat, they were going to be hungry soon but he couldn't seem to find the energy to do so. For now he just stayed still and rubbed at his temples, wishing that Jack would show up and make him feel better just by being in the same room as Jack. span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"There was no other way to say that their time in the past sucked, between the kidnapping and the attacks there was really no trying to find a silver lining except there was one. For Daniel it was easy, Jack was always the silver lining for Daniel. Jack proved over and over that they really could survive anything. Daniel knew, a deep down kind of knowledge, from years of watching Jack that the retired soldier didn't really believe in giving up or giving in to bullying or bad press but dealing with the disbelief and the anger from his family was a completely different ballgame. Watching Jack deal with it with grace and no small amount of sadness had been a journey for them both and Daniel loved Jack more now than he did five years ago or ten years ago. Everything felt deeper now and honest and true.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"So yeah, Jack O'Neill was always the silver lining to Daniel's cloudy nights, closely followed by their beautiful children. He wondered how close they were to another anniversary, they were in the past for six months and Daniel figured it was coming soon since Zada and Zale had turned ten. Time was such a strange thing here in the future because they didn't keep a strict calendar. As a family they hadn't done a whole lot of celebrating there so Daniel hoped that here in the place of their children's' birth and the place where Jack and he consummated the love they hid from each other in the past, they would get back to celebrating each other and the children.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"He heard the door open and listened to the sounds of his daughters as they rushed into the room. He smiled but Daniel didn't open his eyes. Jack could take lunch duty since he was home so he allowed the twins to climb up and over him, hugging and pressing kisses to Daniel's face before Jack sent them upstairs to tell the others to come down for some lunch. Jack leaned down, pressing his hand down against the back of the couch next to Daniel's neck to press his lips gently to Daniel's mouth.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Daniel smiled into the touch, "Hey."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Jack's hand pressed into Daniel's neck gently, "Hey yourself, did you want a sandwich?"span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Daniel shook his head, "Just gonna lay here for a little longer."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""Okay," he could hear the frown in Jack's tone but he didn't explain, the children deserved to have lunch before Jack got the download of what went on during the morning, mid-afternoon before he got home. For now he listened as Jack went into the kitchen and shuffled around humming a tune that was pretty nonsensical as far as Daniel could tell, it was probably a jingle of some kind since Jack used to do that with TV shows and commercials as well. After a short time Jack called out and the kids came down in a thunder of footsteps and they all skimmed over quickly to kiss Daniel on the cheek or mouth, telling him something about what they were playing or what they learned before they wandered to the kitchen leaving someone shifting next to Daniel quietly. His eyes popped open and found Johnny standing there.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""Hey JJ, you gonna have a sandwich with Papa?" he asked, not expecting anything after the never ending days of emotional and mental silence.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"He nodded and Daniel's eyes moistened at even the small response. He leaned up, pushing away from the back of the couch to reach out his hand to offer it to Johnny. The little boy didn't move for a moment and by the time he shifted, Jack was standing in the door between the kitchen and the living room just watching them.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Daniel watched with bated breath as Johnny reached out and slid his fingers across Daniel's palm and he felt the love battering against the other negative emotions and Daniel smiled at his son.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""Why don't you go have your lunch, I love you JJ."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"He turned and walked past Jack, reaching out to slip a hand past Jack's knuckles gently before he went and sat down at the table. Jack smiled a little at Daniel before he walked back to the kitchen then Daniel settled back against the couch and went back to rubbing his temples since he was still feeling run down from the morning and early afternoon. span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Then the children were talking in Latin making him smile a little especially since their children had been so quiet this morning. Akina and William had done something to loosen Zada and Zale's moods as well as visiting with Adrian helped with the girls. Johnny even seemed to be thawing. While he was listening to them talking Jack moved behind Daniel on the couch and pressed his fingertips gently into Daniel's shoulders and kneaded his muscles. Daniel moaned at the pleasure and Jack leaned down and his face pressed close to Daniel's neck. "How you doing love?"span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""It was a challenging morning," Daniel sighed.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""Kids are all happy eating, you want to go to the bedroom and talk about it?"span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Daniel scoffed.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""What?" Jack asked with a laugh.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""Fifteen years ago, you would have never said that to anyone let alone me."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Jack gave a mock gasp of hurt but grinned as Daniel looked up at him. "You're probably right but I've been hanging around you for to long," Jack responded.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Daniel laughed, "Yeah, I just need to tell you what happened."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Jack nudged Daniel to stand so he did and headed towards the hallway to the new location of their room, which Daniel was still getting used to as Jack shouted to the kitchen, "Daddy and I need to talk for a little while. Behave yourselves."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"There was a quick round of high-pitched kid agreement before Jack followed Daniel. He closed the door behind him while Daniel settled on the side of the bed. Jack immediately followed, walking over and sitting next to Daniel on the bed and taking his hand. Daniel smiled at the contact, "I have been so freaked out about all of them but Johnny has been so completely removed that it's getting hard to remember what that warmth of love he always transmitted to each of us felt like."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""I know Danny," Jack whispered.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""Today when Greer was here, I asked him to keep an eye on him if and when he could. I let them play while I was writing some notes and then I heard Greer screaming. Johnny had his hands around Greer's throat and he was hurting him mentally. When I got between them, all I felt was this screaming pain in my head and my heart. I don't know everything but he transmitted a visual of someone choking him. Some bastard had his hands on our son's throat." Daniel's voice started to choke up as he continued and Jack squeezed his hand gently. "I felt a bunch of emotions in that slight contact, he's so confused and conflicted; filled with shame and self hatred."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""Why?" Jack asked gently.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Daniel shook his head, "I don't know for sure but when I told him that we would love him no matter what he had to do to survive, he loosened a little. I was falling apart in out six year old's lap and he started running his fingers through my hair. He's so your son sometimes," Daniel said with a choked laugh and seemingly just to prove him right, Jack smiled a little and slipped a hand into Daniel's hair and rubbed into the nape of his neck and remained there, as always a comfort to Daniel.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""He'll love you no matter if you're holding him or he's holding you," Jack muttered as he leaned in close and pressed a kiss to Daniel's jawline.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""I just figured it was so unfair to put that on him," Daniel whispered. span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Jack jiggled him a little and Daniel pressed deep into his husband's side and pressed a hand into Jack's thigh, delighting in the body heat that made Daniel want to climb inside all that warmth and love. "Hey sometimes you gotta let go, sorry I couldn't be here to help with that."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Daniel nodded a little but he closed his eyes and slipped his head to the side and rested it against Jack's shoulder. The handsome older man wrapped his arm all the way around Daniel's shoulder and the other came over to press into Daniel's neck before he tilted Daniel's face and their lips slipped into a kiss. Daniel sighed a little into the contact and shifted as close as he could get without climbing into his husband's lap, his arms came up and pressed around Jack's shoulders and into his scruffy jaw. Jack groaned as his mouth opened and his tongue pressed forward to deepen the kiss and Daniel readily reciprocated. They stayed that way, kissing lazily for several minutes as they could here the kids still chattering away in the kitchen Daniel took a chance and turned around. Jack gripped his knee as Daniel's leg swung over to straddle Jack's lap and they ground against each other, emitting low groans since they hadn't made love for a couple days which for them was the beginning of a dry spell. Daniel always wanted Jack, this had only gotten worse with time but so much of their time and energy for the last couple days, hell for the last couple months was about the kids first and them second.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"And sadly that wasn't going to change with all five of them sitting on the other side of a wall eating their lunch. Daniel allowed himself some leisurely kisses before he leaned back, breaking contact with Jack who muttered in annoyance at the separation. span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""We can't just disappear for an hour or two to sate our constant desire for each other while our children are in the kitchen," Daniel said matter-of-factly.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Jack pouted, honest to god pout, "But why?"span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""Jack, don't start," Daniel said, attempting to be serious all the while trying not to snicker at Jack's facial expression.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""You're right I guess, besides I just wanted to make you laugh. Mission accomplished."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""Another one for the illustrious Colonel Jack O'Neill."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;""That's General Jack O'Neill, thank you very much," Jack responded smartlyspan/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"Daniel leaned down with a wistful smile, "You'll always be my Colonel Jack," he whispered against Jack's lips causing the older man to groan before he took Daniel's lips in another soul deep and wet kiss.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"When the kiss came to an end once more, Daniel just leaned his forehead down into the juncture of his neck and shoulder and tightened his arms around Jack's shoulders. Jack pressed a kiss to Daniel's head and his arms stayed tight around his lower back. He was sure this quiet wouldn't last for too much longer so he just reveled in it while he could.span/span /p 


	7. Family Meeting

**Chapter Seven: Family Meeting**

After dinner Jack and Daniel called a family meeting, Zale and Zada were sitting on the couch with Johnny in between them. Claire and Janet were sitting on the love seat and Daniel and Jack were both sitting in single chairs in front of them. Daniel looked to Jack, his breathing ragged from the stress of his day and Jack honestly is still amazed Daniel was able to find a way to show up for their children even though he was hurting inside.

"Okay, well I think the cone of silence has been going on long enough," Jack started and continued before anyone had a chance to think of arguing or questioning him. "I know with Daddy Daniel as your parent it's impossible to think past the self-sacrificing tendencies but the only way we are going to get through what happened is if we talk to each other. Who's gonna go first?"

Silence, though Jack wasn't really surprised by that.

Daniel cleared his throat and spoke; "I have been feeling like maybe I failed as your father because you were taken right out from our noses. I don't know how to deal with the helplessness I felt when you were stolen from the backyard and you were hurt and I couldn't protect you from the horrible things in the world and that means I can't really take back the pain you have all had now. I know I can't always protect you but I want you to know I'm going to try."

Jack shook his head, rolling his eyes, "See, self-sacrificing."

Zale and Zada smiled because they knew what he was taking about and the twins smiled because everyone else was. Johnny was slowly picking at the edges of his fingernails. Daniel swatted at Jack's leg gently.

"We're sad," Claire said and everyone turned to her.

"You're sad?" Jack asked gently trying to coax more out of her.

"Sad because we couldn't do anything and now we just want to get back to life here," Janet continued and as she was taking a breath her twin picked up the monologue as if they planned it.

"Everyone is sad and we'll behave while everyone else is trying to be okay."

Jack nodded and leaned forward to pat Janet on the knee then repeated the action with Claire, "Thank you for being honest. Anyone else?"

"I hate that Johnny got hurt to try to get me to talk, I failed my little brother who needed me to protect him," Zada blurted out and Johnny stared at her, reaching out after a moment to hold his sister's hand in comfort. She smiled tremulously before she spoke again, "The man shocked him, smacked him and choked him. I screamed and pleaded that the man wouldn't hurt Johnny; I wanted him to hurt me but not Johnny."

Daniel sucked in a breath and Jack knew he was fighting the need to cry as he shifted in his chair. Jack was pleased that he didn't run to their daughter, the need to protect and comfort so overwhelming that he couldn't remember that they had to get all this out to get better. Jack was so proud it made him want to cry and hug Daniel then hug his brave little children.

"Its not your fault Zada, nothing that happened is your fault and you did what you had to do to keep yourself and you siblings as safe as you could but in that situation you cannot understand the kind of horrible things that grownups are capable of. Just let this go baby girl," Jack said and she nodded, her brown eyes filling with tears. He waited as well, knowing that Zale was struggling to stay silent. Jack watched his eldest son while Daniel was quietly waiting.

"Xylander is quiet, stuck just beyond my reach. I can't use my magic and it's building inside me. I'm afraid that it could explode at any time into some sort of magical bomb that could hurt you guys. I miss him and don't know if I'm ever going to get him back."

Jack had wondered about that, Zada was constantly saying her opinion as well as Zafirah's and suddenly Zale had stopped speaking about Xylander but Jack didn't want to ask mostly because they'd been going through so many other things.

"Sir William and Lady Zarkina believe he is sleeping because of the heavy drugs they gave me to keep me from accessing the magic."

Jack nodded, "You're going to continue your training and you are going to get through this Z-Man. You are our wonderful bright boy without the Magis within, you must know that."

Zale nodded and Johnny reached out and touched his brother's hand as well leaving him nothing to focus on in his lap. The younger Jackson-O'Neill finally looked up at Jack then his gaze shifted to Daniel and he shrugged like there was nothing to say or do. He had already reached out to both of them today and maybe that was all he had in him for today and that would have to be okay and hopefully he would find his back to some semblance of the happy and positive kid he was before.

"Sir William said we can never go back to who we were before but we can be stronger and be together. That you and Daddy Daniel were stronger after he was hurt in the past."

Jack thought about that and was pleased that their royal friends were wise beyond their years and willing to speak to Zada and Zale when the children weren't able to listen to Jack and Daniel. "Every time something happens to me, I can never undo those things and I learn how to make them a part of my past but not hurt my present and the people around me." He reached out and took Daniel's hand as he gave another tremulous smile.

"When I was hurt on our second wedding day, when I was hurt on base not to mention all the times I was hurt by people's words and actions I learned how to be stronger. I cannot be hard because every time I look at the five of you, I know that the world is good and beautiful place."

Jack grinned at that, "As much as I hated the pain and hurt I went through, I wouldn't give up the deeper knowledge and love that I share with your Papa. So there is no way to undo what has happened but there is a way to make yourself better because of it."

Jack sniffed and tried to sneakily wipe a tear from his eye but Daniel looked at him knowingly when he turned back to the younger man. And he wasn't done yet, of course because Daniel could wax poetic especially about his family for hours.

"And I know that each of you are all strong enough to bear even the weight of this pain and knowledge. And Papa and I will be with all of you every step of the way."

"Do you think we will have to defend ourselves like that again?" Zada asked.

Jack looked at them seriously, taking a deep breath before he spoke, "If you find yourselves ever in a situation like that again, you do what you have to do to protect yourself and your siblings. Don't hurt people if you can help it but defend yourselves."

Zada nodded, Zale and the twins copied the motion, even Johnny nodded jerkily and he looked to Daniel to find his husband seriously nodding in agreement. The world was no longer the safe-for-their-children place of old and both fathers were going to do everything in their power to make sure their children were protected or capable of defending themselves.


	8. Sleep Tight

**Chapter Eight: Sleep Tight**

Daniel got done passing out night kisses and telling stories before he and Jack walked back downstairs and headed towards the couch and they tumbled down to sit together. Jack wrapped his arm around Daniel's shoulder and he tucked his head into the older man's shoulder.

"That was quite the day huh?" Jack asked gently.

Daniel nodded but stayed quiet, he knew they were going to have to take all this stuff a day at a time but he was glad that they had talked to all the children together as a family. Jack was so good at that sometimes despite he arguments to the contrary.

"You were great with them," Daniel whispered.

Jack pressed his lips to Daniel's head gently and stayed there for a moment. Daniel wanted to maybe pick up where they left off earlier when they left the kids in the kitchen but at the same time, he enjoyed these moments when they were just still and comforted by each other's presence.

"I just wanted them to know we're here for them and that they need to accept our help when they need it. I want them to know that what happened is something they can get through together."

"Like I said," Daniel whispered, "Great. You are an amazing and loving man Jack O'Neill."

"And crotchety and have dodgy knees," Jack said with a self-deprecating laugh.

Daniel found he didn't want to sit here quietly with his husband; he wanted to leave behind the stress of the day and the relief that he felt when Johnny reached out to them. It wasn't over, not by a long shot but for now their children were sleeping in their beds and Jack was here with him. Daniel stood, dislodging Jack from his place and dragged his husband up off the couch before he pulled him back their bedroom and Jack frowned at him when Daniel closed them in all without saying a word. Jack just watched Daniel as he pulled his button shirt down off his shoulders and let it flutter to the floor. Jack was grinning, breathing through his nose but standing still, allowing Daniel to run the show. Daniel had always been an interesting mix of dominant and submissive in the bedroom sometimes taking control, which worked, for Daniel but other times he just watched and waited. Daniel slipped his t-shirt over his head, baring his chest as he backed up to the side of the bed. He unsnapped his jeans slowly, wondering how long Jack was going to stand so still. Daniel watched as Jack's breathing hitch as his zipper skidded down sounding overly loud in the closed bedroom. Jack still didn't move when Daniel pushed down his jeans and boxers down all in one go, though his breathing turned in panting as Daniel sat down and tugged off the rest of his clothes. He leaned over and pulled open the side drawer and grabbed a small container of lube, leaning back against the pillows so he could keep watching Jack who moved closer but still hadn't done anything else.

"This is always my favorite part, when your eyes are on me," Daniel husked as he wrapped a lubed hand around his burning erection and kept his eyes on Jack who was watching his hand move languidly up and down on Daniel's straining cock. "I don't need some perfect and younger man, I love the man I married, the one that makes my heart race and gave me five beautiful children. I love you Jack and I need you."

Jack took a couple small steps forward and now his knees were pressed into the side of the bed and he was tugging his shirt off over his head revealing the chiseled skin stretched over hard muscled planes and valleys and Daniel slipped his slick fingers down past his balls and pressed into his hole. He threw his head back at the thought of Jack touching him like this, that there was nothing else like it in the world. He pretended the fingers pushing into his body were Jack's instead and the moans that rose from his throat burst across the room and seemed to break Jack's stillness finally. Daniel felt when the bed dipped down when Jack's naked legs pressed down between Daniel's thighs, nudging them farther apart so he could sit there comfortably. Even in the healing world of the Vannas, Jack still had dodgy knees, which was just how Daniel liked him. He kept his eyes closed and felt as Jack's lips settled down on Daniel's stomach and mapped a path from his navel up to his nipples and up to his throat and finally met with Daniel's mouth and the younger man whimpered as his mouth opened under Jack's mobile tongue and he sunk into the taste of his lover. Then as his fingers went lax, Jack nudged them out of the way and sunk two of his own fingers inside Daniel and the younger man had a momentary thought of when he got the extra lube that was making the burn one of pleasure over pain, though this was such a familiar dance that Daniel was certain that his body had honestly been created to be touched, kissed and loved by Jack O'Neill.

Jack's lips pulled back and Daniel was left panting as his eyes opened and he stared into Jack's chocolate brown gaze as his fingers stretched Daniel, preparing him in the most gentle and loving way possible. Daniel leaned up again and pressed his open mouth back to Jack's then he shifted onto his side with his back to Jack's side. The retired soldier shifted so quick to line himself up with Daniel's body it was almost amusing if it wasn't for the fact that Daniel was flushed and needed his husband inside him now was halting that need to chuckle. Jack pressed a hand under Daniel's neck and his palm pressed across Daniel's chest gently holding him close while the other hand pressed back into Daniel's hole to stretch it again but Daniel growled, "Get a move on Colonel Jack."

Jack pressed his lips to the side of Daniel's neck as his fingers were replaced with his thick hard cock and Daniel moaned and pressed back into Jack's thrust. Within seconds Jack's hips were pressed hard against Daniel's ass, their balls rubbing against each other, revving Daniel's pleasure up by quick degrees.

"I would think this was your favorite part Danny," Jack husked out into Daniel's ear.

"I love every part," Daniel whispered in return.

"That's right Danny," Jack whispered and thrust forward into Daniel's body and he pressed back into the motion. Jack set a slow and sultry pace while one hand rubbed across his chest and the other pressed into Daniel's hip. He loved the feel of Jack's nails digging into his skin lightly, leaving red marks and crescent shapes in his skin. Daniel gripped Jack's hand, pulling him in even tighter while they moved together. Daniel tilted his head back and nudged at Jack so their lips met again and Daniel felt inside his body and soul when Jack's rhythm picked up and suddenly his hand was slipping down to take Daniel in his hand and started pulling, matching the fast thrust of his hips. Daniel kept kissing Jack even as the pressure built in his spine, and his skin flushed higher sending a burn throughout his extremities as he tightened his fingers around Jack's but with a loud groan he pressed his hand into Jack's hip to stall his movements.

"What is it Danny?" Jack husked, while he panted and kept making shallow rolling thrusts into Daniel's body making the younger man moan before he could think of why he stopped in the first place.

"I want to see your face, please Jack?" Daniel whispered and Jack immediately slipped from Daniel's body and he felt bereft at the loss only to be easily pulled to stretch out on Jack lap. Daniel immediately reached down between them, brushing his straining cock on the way and he gripped Jack's erection giving it a couple sharp pulls before he lined it up and slid down quickly, finding himself flush against Jack's body once more. Daniel ground against Jack's lap, pleased when Jack's hands came out to touch Daniel's sweaty hips, dipping his thumbs into the divot there and just held on, encouraging Daniel to move how fast or slow he wanted to. Daniel leaned down, one of his hands pressing into Jack's chest and the other slipping down to touch his own member and he watched those eyes that spoke so much without words. The touch of moisture in the corner of Jack's eyes told Daniel that this wasn't the end to their troubles but there was comfort and love and passion and strength for them here. Daniel leaned down and pressed his lips into Jack's, and one of the other's hands slipped up into the side of Daniel's neck. Daniel loved that; the way Jack held him with love and devotion. He nipped at the edge of Jack's mouth bring a moan from the older man as Daniel stroked himself, bringing his hips up and down in a hurried rhythm feeling the orgasm coming so he separated his lips from Jack's and pressed his forehead into Jack's, just watching his husband as he rocked over into pleasure with a silent gasp and Jack quickly followed.

In the gasping breaths and moments of cooling bodies, Daniel lost that awesome control that he always carried or did as often as possible. He felt when the first tear dropped from his eye down onto Jack's cheek and he sucked in a deep breath and pulled off of Jack and got out of bed, rushing to the bathroom to clean up, all the while sniffling back the tears and choking back the desperate sobs trapped in his throat. He was wetting a washcloth and cleaned himself up before he grabbed his robe and wrapped it around his waist, ignoring the way his hands were shaking when Jack pressed up behind him, shushing gently into the side of his head.

Daniel took in a sucking breath and tried to bring the emotions back down under the surface when Jack spoke gently to him all the while pressing gentle kisses into the side of his face and neck, "No Danny, don't hide the pain from me. Let me be your rock like you've let me be for so long."

Daniel shuddered and a few more tears slipped out and slapped onto Jack's arm where it was wrapped over Daniel's shoulder and the other was around Daniel's waist. "I don't want to keep saying the same things over and over."

"You can repeat yourself to me all you want Daniel, I would gladly listen to it if it meant you were okay."

Daniel knew that was true, knew that Jack had proved to him over and over that he would be whatever Daniel needed him to be. Daniel just hoped that Jack knew the same, "What about you? These are your children as well and you don't always need to be the strong one, my rock. You can cry too Jack," he whispered.

Jack huffed out a laugh, "I'm worried about them too, all of them. I need them to be okay, I need you to be okay and happy. I'll do whatever needs to be done and spar with Teal'c and the Markis Vannas when I need to cool down but you feel everything love and I know that."

Daniel wiped away another tear before he turned in Jack's arms and shoved his face into Jack's neck to breath in the subtle smell of his husband, the scent of sweat and sex evident. He breathed in a few times, comforted by Jack's warmth and the murmur of his voice as his hands rubbed Daniel's back.

"They broke through the silence today, it's a good thing."

Daniel nodded jerkily, still not wanting to talk.

"They have the people here to help them, especially Zale and Zada. Johnny has us and his siblings and Greer."

Daniel snickered at the annoyed tone of Jack's voice when he said Greer, like he wished that wasn't a part of their son's recovery.

"I heard that," Jack said, crowing with pride.

Daniel smiled, pressing his lips into Jack's throat before his amazing husband tugged him back into the bedroom and Jack tucked Daniel into bed before climbing in behind as Daniel threw off his robe and turned to curl into Jack's naked warmth. He made lazy designs on Jack's chest as his leg pressed in between Jack's thighs. He pressed his cheek into Jack's shoulder while Jack's hand pressed them in close to each other.

"I love you Jack," Daniel whispered, trying to keep the yawn out of his words but failing making Jack chuckle as well.

"I love you so much Danny, forever."

"Promise?" Daniel whispered.

"I promise," Jack returned and he let the tired seep into his body from the stress filled days since they got back. All the emotions and fear, dealing with the pain, which made Daniel, perk up a little, jarring Jack. "Danny? You okay?"

"Sorry, I'm really worried about the telepathic pain that Johnny gave me earlier. We're going to have to get him training with someone so he can use the ability if he needs it but not to lash out at people."

"I know love, we'll talk about it later. Just sleep."

Daniel nodded and resettled against Jack and let sleep suck him down again.


	9. Nighttime Panic

**Chapter Nine: Nighttime Panic**

Jack watched as Daniel settled down to sleep, he kept pressing his hand into Daniel's skin, rubbing the back of his neck and down his back gently. Daniel's breathing lengthened and settled and then when he slipped deep enough there was that little snore that always made Jack smile. He pressed his lips to Daniel's forehead and sucked in a deep breath, feeling the emotions he'd been containing for days. The tears slid down the side of his cheek though it never got worse than a few errant tears. He let himself feel the fear and the uncertainty of their children's futures and he let it in for five seconds.

"Five… Four… Three… Two…One," he counted down quietly and took a deep breath before he relaxed his shoulder, then his chest and his arms and legs. He was used to going to sleep quickly, taking naps and rest when he could as a soldier and also as a father of five.

Sleep came quickly and time snuck by, his dreams of Daniel's smile and the children's hugs and giggles before his mind slipped into a darker place. Something was holding all the children down, like they were strapped to beds again like they were when they were kidnapped. Jack rushed over to them and tried to pull them up when he realized they were looking up at him with glassy eyes. Jack shook Zale, calling his name and demanding that his son would come back to him. He felt at Zale's throat for a pulse and found a weak one but it was there. He was still desperately trying to lift his children off the tables when there was a blast in the room, blowing him back into the wall and Jack jerked up in bed finding Daniel pressed to his side, a hand on Jack's chest as his heart was trying to beat out of its cavity. He turned to look at Daniel but stood from the bed, breath still heaving as he grabbed some soft pajama pants and stepped into them while Daniel was staring at him in worried confusion. About the time Jack was rushing out the door and towards the stairs, Daniel grabbed his robe off the bottom of the bed and followed. Jack found himself in Zale's room, his heaving breaths close to turning into a panic attack when he walked over to his eldest son, the one who was the same age as Charlie when he died and touched the side of Zale's face. Something surged through his skin at the touch and Jack snapped backwards as the electricity coursed through his fingertip and up into his body making his heart stutter. It short stopped the panic attack but Jack's hand went to his chest for a second as Zale's eyes fluttered open and frowned up at Jack.

"Papa?"

"I think you electrocuted me Zale," Jack whispered in pain as he dropped to his knees next to his son's bed. Zale snapped upright and pressed his hand into Jack's cheek just as Daniel came into the room. Jack could feel Zale's magical presence in his mind, trying to figure out if he hurt his father.

"Jack?"

"It's okay Danny, I think."

Daniel came to his side and Jack reached out and pulled Zale close to hug him. He rubbed his hand through his son's hair and used their closeness and Daniel pressing his hand into Jack's shoulder for comfort.

"You okay Papa?"

"Yeah but you are going to lessons with Akina and William for sure and I am going to see Erica."

"Why did you wake me?" Zale asked, getting sleepy now that there was no reason to freak anymore. Jack was rubbing his back soothing the boy back to sleepiness, he kissed the side of Zale's head before he put him back in bed only realizing that they would have to wake the kids in about an hour or so. Jack stood with Daniel's hand still resting on his back and they walked back out of the room and down to their bed once more.

"So maybe I am scared," Jack said as Daniel settled him back into the bed.

Daniel nodded, pressing a kiss into Jack's shoulder as he spooned up close to Jack's back, sharing his warmth. Jack didn't really think there was a chance for him to fall asleep but under the loving touch and gentle press of lips he was able to slip into a light sleep that wouldn't allow for dreams to enter before he was waking up again to Daniel pressing his lips to Jack's cheek.

"I'm going to get the kids up, will you start breakfast please?"

Jack nodded slowly and struggled to sit up, feeling the left over pain that his son's electric attack left on him. He rolled his neck then his shoulders, letting the pain slip away while Daniel got dressed in slacks and a simple deep blue short-sleeved shirt. Daniel watched Jack, with that little frown of concern between his eyes then he walked over to the bed and slipped between Jack's spread thighs. Jack moved his hands to Daniel's waist.

"You going to tell me what happened this morning?" Daniel asked.

"I dreamed about Zale, like he was dying in my arms and I couldn't move him or help him. He's only a little older than Charlie and I freaked out, needed to see that he was okay. He shocked me, his power lashed out at me."

Daniel nodded, leaning down and pressed his lips to Jack's forehead, he smiled up at his husband. "He's going to get the help he needs Jack and you are going to see Erica today."

"Yes dear," Jack said and tugged Daniel down and they shared a kiss before Daniel walked out of the bedroom and headed for the stairs. Jack got up, wincing a little before he stretched out the remaining ache and dressed quickly in jeans and a shirt and padded barefoot into the kitchen and started throwing together some food for the kids. After ten years of working together like this, one person getting the kids up and the other getting food ready for everyone had become a measured dance. Jack thought back to the time before Daniel though that was a tough distinction to make anymore, after Charlie died Daniel was the only reason Jack wanted to keep on living even as a friend.

But as he put together plates of food for Janet and Claire and Johhny, leaving plates for Zada and Zale, he thought about the life he had with Sarah and Charlie, he didn't remember ease of love and comfort. He didn't like to compare Daniel to Sarah because they didn't have the same kind of life together, Jack had been working and Special Forces had taken up so much of his time and energy. Being there for Charlie had been easy when he was home but Sarah had spent so much of their limited time together sniping and angry. In the past ten years with Daniel, there had been sniping here and there but never in front of the children and they always worked it out. He'd been sent on so many assignments where he couldn't end the fighting or make up with Sarah before he was shipped out, that so much of the hurt feelings and bad attitude moments turned into resentments and actual fights.

Daniel had been so determined to not let that happen to them and Jack had never wanted Daniel to think he didn't love the other man so he'd worked so much on himself to become a slightly better Jack so Daniel would keep putting up with his snark and the inability to show up in kids life about a year ago, before he quit working for the queen.

"Papa, you okay?" someone asked which brought Jack out of the self reflection, turning to look down at Zale who was standing just inside the kitchen looking like he was about to get punished. Jack walked the few steps over to him and leaned down to hug his son tightly and kissed him on the cheek.

"I'm okay Z-Man. We're going to get through whatever you have going on okay?"

Zale nodded then turned to the counter where he picked out some food and sat down at the table. Zada soon followed her brother, leading Janet and Claire in as well. Johnny came in with Daniel right behind him. Daniel led Johnny to sit at the table and Jack put down his food. Daniel grabbed some of the coffee from the counter and leaned against the counter and said something in Latin, the words quick and hard to follow for Jack but that was true of all the languages that Daniel was teaching their children. As soon as the conversation around the table started up, Janet and Claire were speaking Latin clearly and succinctly, barely making a mistake. Johnny listened and nodded to his siblings' questions and so on, at least he was more open with all of them this morning.

"What's the plan for today?" Jack asked.

"Akina, William and Greer are coming over again today," Daniel started. "I think Taylor is coming with to stay with the twins while we are all working on our lesson plans so you, my love, can go see Erica and maybe get out to see some of your old students and see Teal'c. We haven't seen them since we got back."

Jack nodded, "That's a good idea, you are so good to me Danny."

Daniel rolled his eyes with a laugh, "Because I am sending you to the doctor and kicking you out of the house? You are to easy Jack."

Jack leaned down and kissed the side of Daniel's head, "Only for you Daniel. Maybe later you can work out just how easy I can be," he murmured the words into Daniel's ear making the younger man shiver before he turned to stare into Jack's eyes, moving just enough to press his lips into Jack's for a quick kiss.

"Only if Erica clears you for that kind of activity."

Jack groaned and grinned, kissing Daniel again before he walked back to his room for some socks and grabbed his tennis shoes from the kitchen, one of the many things he brought with him. The boots that were the mainstay kind of footwear was fine but he missed the comfort and ease of the tennis shoes when he no longer had them. He'd had his Air Force issued boots but even those didn't last forever. He walked back to the kitchen and kissed all the kids, one at a time while telling them how much he loved them and they were going to have a good day with whatever they were doing. He turned and nodded to Daniel who just followed him out of the kitchen and towards the front door. Daniel tugged Jack to a stop just before he opened the door and turned back around to Daniel who was smiling though there was tinge of sadness there as well. Jack moved back a step and tugged Daniel close, a hand to the back of the younger man's head.

"I'm going to be okay Danny, you can't get rid of me quite yet."

"Thank god for that," Daniel whispered.

Jack chuckled, "Thank god for that." He leaned back enough to kiss Daniel gently on the mouth before he pressed his husband against the opposite wall, pushing his frame flush against Daniel's as he deepened the kiss for a moment before he pulled back. "I love you Danny and I will see you around lunch time okay?"

Daniel nodded and Jack walked out of the house. He turned left on the path towards the castle but he stopped about half the distance, turning towards a small cabin that Erica lived in with her family. He knocked on the door and the young girl who opened the door made Jack smile, "Elle, how are you baby girl?" he asked looking up and down at the preteen that he'd known as a toddler. After six months away, it was strange to see her again especially when she grinned up at him and jumped at him for an enthusiastic hug.

"Uncle Jack, I'm so glad that you came back! Can I see your family soon?"

"Of course, anytime," he said and kissed her forehead gently. "Is your mom here?" he asked.

Elle, full name Madison Elise Trinity, swept her arm out to invite him into the small house where her little brother was playing on the floor of the living room and Erica was in her office just off to the side but Elle just shoved him towards the door so Jack assumed she was alone. He knocked gently on her partially open door and she invited him in without looking up.

"Hey Eri, how are you? I didn't see you at the welcome home party."

Erica looked up with a smile, standing to hug Jack, "I was dealing with some personal stuff the night of your illustrious return, and I apologize for my absence. What brings you to my office today Jack besides the need to call me out on my rudeness?"

"No, I touched Zale while he was sleeping and he shocked me. Daniel wanted me to come get checked over, make sure there was no lasting damage."

"Of course," Erica said and Jack sat down on her exam table. She settled her hand on Jack's chest in the 'mental x-ray', which is what Jack liked to think of it though what Erica did could never be boiled down to something so simple as an x-ray. He could feel the subtle warmth of her presence leaking into his body and he felt the remaining ache from Zale's shock slip away and left him with feeling all warm and glowy.

"Wow, thanks for that," Jack said as he opened his eyes and looked into Erica's worried gaze. "What?"

"Zale could have killed you with the shock he gave you. I sense his healing within you, he was trying to fix his mistake but Jack, you need to think about staying away from your son until he has better control. If he shocks you again and you are not close to a healer, your heart could fail."

Jack frowned, "You want me to stay away from Zale?" he asked incredulously.

Erica tried to take his hand in between hers, to calm him or something but Jack just pulled away as he slid off the table. "You don't know what he's going through and I won't hurt him by pulling away."

"It will kill him if he hurts you," Erica responded logically and Jack knew that was true but it didn't change the way Zale would feel about Jack putting distance between them.

"What about Daniel?" Jack asked instead.

"Daniel is much younger than you plus he has a genetic connection with Zale, I don't think he will hurt Daniel."

"But he'll hurt me because I'm not real family?" Jack asked snidely, knowing it wasn't her fault but he couldn't seem to stop himself from lashing out.

"Jack that's not what I mean, you need to not take this personally, from what Akina has told me about Zale he is struggling with magical overflow and that will leach off in uncertain ways. Part of it is his body protecting itself but also just trying not to feel like he's going to explode with his powers. That's the problem with Awakened Magis, they pull magic from they world around them, accessing pools of power that most people never get. Give him some time to get himself some training to deal with it then you can hug and touch him all you want but I don't think he would survive it if he killed you Jack, he loves you more than any other person in the world except maybe Daniel and his siblings. Please Jack, you need to think of him."

Jack clenched his fists, "I am thinking of him, he is my son and Danny's son and he needs so badly to know I love him so much and you want me to stay away."

"You need to stay away for both of you Jack, just talk to Daniel and Zale and let them know or I will."

Jack glared at her but he walked out of the room and out of the house with a quick wave to Elle before he headed back towards the castle and the training center where he was sure Teal'c was still training the guardians of the queen. He needed the distraction, to really consider the ramifications of removing himself in such a way from his son and what that would mean for all of them. Zale would think that Jack was punishing him for something no matter what he said, he was sensitive just like Danny. And Danny would hate this so much; he already had so much going on.

For now he needed something else to think about instead of the constant implosions that seemed to be hitting his family in the past year.


	10. Late for Lunch

**Chapter Ten: Late for Lunch**

Daniel waited after Greer's lesson for Jack to get home. They got to the point that Zale and Zada were asking for lunch when he finally relented and fed them, all the while he was worried about Jack and what he learned at the healers. Akina and William were staying for lunch then they were jumping straight back into training with Zale. Daniel was glad for the royal couple's influence and help with something that Jack and Daniel would have never been able to handle on their own but Jack should have been here by now.

"Daniel, Erica just told me that Jack left her place and looked like he was heading to the training center. She said that Jack was upset about what she had to tell him and he probably needs to burn off some of those feelings before returning home."

"What did he find out that was so bad?" Daniel asked as he munched on a piece of fruit he pulled from the platter he laid out for lunch.

Akina shrugged, "She wants you to speak to Jack about that."

"I would if he was here!" Daniel snapped.

Akina nodded but went back to her meal without rising to the bait, Daniel didn't want to argue with anyone so he really didn't care that she wasn't willing to fight. All he wanted was to hear something from Jack, but then if he was going to the training center, clearly Erica gave him a clean bill of health or healed whatever problems he might have been having.

So Daniel refocused on the kids and left behind his worry for Jack, the other man was a grown up and capable of getting out of trouble all by himself. Daniel watched as Johnny watched the others eating, barely touching a bite of his own food before Greer reached out to him and offered him a piece of toast with a little bit of crushed fruit on top. Johnny shrugged and reached out to take the food and Daniel smiled a little. Zale was already finished and waiting impatiently for William and Akina to say they were restarting their training. He seemed desperate to do something different after this morning when he shocked Jack and Daniel understood his need but Daniel didn't want the happy little boy he knew to disappear into an obsessive need to be perfect even though it was something Daniel knew a lot about for sure.

Akina and William each thanked Daniel for the lunch before they pulled Zale into the living room again, Zada walked upstairs to play with her sisters who were following her around like puppies, leaving Johnny and Greer at the table speaking in sign language and Johnny would nod or shake his head in answer, sometimes speaking with his hands once or twice. Daniel tried not to watch the boys so intently while he was cleaning in the kitchen but it was hard.

"Can we go play in Johnny's room Mr. Daniel?"

Daniel smiled at the name, most people never referred to Jack or Daniel by their surnames especially since they had adopted a hyphenated name when they got married. He nodded and could hear them rush away from the table and headed up the stairs, all of his children were such good children it was hard to imagine them ever being those kinds of kids who would make their parents wish they'd never had kids, Zale and Zada hated the problems that seemed to be a part of being a powerful Vannas while the twins just wanted everyone to love them and to never be trouble. They'd been wild and crazy full of energy before the kidnapping and they were just getting back to being those little girls, Zada was so reserved but he hoped with continued support they would all learn how to be slightly more grown up versions of themselves. Daniel didn't really like to think of his children ever being grown up but it was going to happen especially when because of the last year they had to face several things that tend to rob kids of their naïve childhoods. Daniel knew what that was like so he knew that they would just have to get used to who they were now.

He was finishing the dishes when someone pounded in through the front door of the house; he frowned as he came out of the kitchen to find Elle gasping for breath and Akina wrapping a comforting arm around her niece's shoulder.

"What is it Elle?" Akina asked.

The young girl took in a deep breath and with a slightly supernatural ability calmed her breathing and she looked over to Daniel, "Jack is at the training center and he's calling for takers."

Daniel frowned, "What? That can't be right." Jack hadn't felt the need to fight the Vannas for over nine years; everybody respected his position in the Vannas world despite his lack of magical abilities, which meant this had nothing to do with protecting his family and everything to do with not wanting to deal with whatever the healer said. "What did your mother say to him Elle?" he demanded.

"Jack needs to stay away from Zale, should not touch him or hold him in anyway until the boy learns to let go of the internal build up of power. The shock this morning could have killed Jack, he did not take the news well."

Daniel turned and saw Zale's shoulders slump in self-recrimination and Daniel walked over and pressed a hand into his shoulder, "It's going to be okay Z-Man, you didn't do it on purpose."

"Does that not somehow make it worse? I could have killed Papa in my sleep. I should not be allowed near any of you."

"No Zale," Daniel said and pulled him close before he turned back to Elle who was still holding one of Akina's hands. "How long has he been calling for takers?"

"Moments," Elle answered.

"Wasn't Teal'c there? Why didn't he stop Jack?"

Elle gave him this amazing look, the one that demanded when anyone had ever made Jack not do something when he wanted to do it. Magical people couldn't even stop his stubborn mule of a husband when he was sure about some stupid course of action. Daniel had been there, wanting the pain to blot out the ache, when Jack had disappeared before the Zale and Zada were born, he'd been unable to deal with it and demanded that people spar with him until he was bloody and unconscious. But Jack apparently had a close call the night before; his body didn't need that kind of pressure.

"Will you stay with the kids?" he asked Akina and William.

"I can if the Queen needs to go," Elle replied, "Just go please? I do not wish to see Jack hurt by this."

Daniel leaned down and kissed Zale on the head before he forced his feet into tennis shoes that were next to the door and ran out the door, heading for the training center. All the while hoping that Jack wasn't trying to get hurt, maybe he was seeing if he could still fight, if he could still defend himself then maybe he wouldn't feel as helpless as he undoubtedly did when he heard he would have to stay away from his son. Jack didn't do well with helpless, never had, the retired military man wanted something he could punch out or shoot. He didn't like when the struggle was internal and there was nothing to attack so maybe this was about knowing he was still capable. Then Daniel figured, he hoped that Jack wouldn't find out the hard way that he wasn't capable of it anymore. There were new Vannas, the next generation was getting old enough to make plays on other people's land and properties, if Jack couldn't fight then they would be without protection.

He felt as his heart thunder in his chest from the effort of running, Daniel didn't do much of that in a long time but he listened to the heaving breath as it entered and exited his body much too quickly and took the quick turn off the main road to the center where Jack used to teach and found himself on the edge of the arena to see Jack sparring with someone about thirty years his junior, some new warrior who wanted to show off by fighting anyone who would do so, there had been many in the ten years Jack helped to teach these warriors.

He didn't want distract Jack and possibly get him hurt, many of the younger warriors didn't respect boundaries and could take the sparring to far especially if their opponent seems momentarily weak. It was a different world, one that had many good things about it but now watching as Jack panted with the effort not to get hit Daniel hated the simplistic societal rules they lived within. Teal'c was nowhere to be found curiously and neither were many of Jack's prior students who would have stepped in to help. Kirkan, Greer's older adopted brother would have leapt in to keep Jack from this path but none of the people who used to spend all their time in Daniel's house and Jack's training sessions were anywhere to be found. He flinched when the younger man punched Jack across the temple. He watched as Jack shook it off and lunged at the man in response but he missed. He feinted to the right then the left before the younger man followed his lead and Jack pulled the other's head into his knee as he kicked upwards. The younger guy fell backwards and Daniel rushed in between the two, catching Jack in the chest as he made to try to get in another hit.

"Daniel!" Jack shouted, shocked to find him there. "Get out of the way, the match isn't over until he stays on the ground."

"No it ends right now!" Daniel shouted back, pushing Jack back a step.

"Yes," the younger man said, spitting out blood from his mouth but leaving a red tint to his teeth anyway. "Listen to your wife old man before you get really hurt!"

"Old man?!" Jack yelled in frustration.

"Wife?" Daniel demanded.

"I have heard stories of Jack O'Neill, the man to teach us to fight without our powers and you cannot be him. You should not be fighting anymore old man because if you fail, if you hide behind your little man then anyone can take what you have and even for an older man who likes to take it from a man," he paused as he stood and walked towards Daniel and pressed his fingers into Daniel's jaw to hold him still. Jack tried to move forward but Daniel held him back with a hand to the chest. "Maybe you would like to take it from another man, someone who can keep up with you. If your man cannot finish this fight, nothing can protect you and those little children."

Daniel jerked away from the younger man's grip and pushed him backwards, feeling the strength in his body and felt like his skin was crawling. He hated that his mind flashed back to Henry forcing him against a wall, ripping his pants and clothes and leaving him bare to the elements.

He took a deep breath as Jack hand touched his shoulder, pulling him closer and away from the younger warrior, "You're okay Danny, no one is going to take you from me." Daniel was gently pushed out of the way, too shocked to fight against Jack. He watched as his older husband moved with purpose towards the other warrior and in a sickeningly quick show of superiority in the field of underhanded tactics, Jack took down the other man with a sickening crunch across the man's face and Daniel watched in fascination as everyone backed down, realizing that Jack had been putting up the front of difficulty and he was still as sharp as ever. Jack walked back towards Daniel while he tried to keep the flashbacks out of his mind and tried not to let the warrior's words smack around inside his head but it was impossible. Jack pulled him in close and Daniel watched over his shoulder as a couple of other young men pulled the downed warrior up from the ground. The injured man shook his head and looked over at Daniel, giving him a dark stare to which Daniel glared at him while he was taken away, never breaking eye contact until the opponent was gone then he heaved a deep breath in and out, tucking his face into Jack's neck.

"I'm sorry Danny, I didn't know you were here. I'm sorry you thought I would be in danger. Don't worry, I won't let that guy ever lay a hand on you ever again."

Daniel nodded then pulled back enough to press his lips into Jack's, pulling in his husband's taste and scent to wash away the fear the other fighter pressed down into him. Then he pulled away and punched Jack in the arm causing him to grunt in pain and stare at him, "What were you thinking Jack! You know better than most what kind of world this is, if you had lost we wouldn't have warrior rights anymore."

"Why do you think I spar with Teal'c all the time?" Jack returned quickly, "I didn't want there to ever be a chance of that happening. I needed to know I could still protect you, even though I wasn't teaching anymore. Clearly that guy was not one of my students."

Daniel punched him again before he pulled away from Jack, "Why wouldn't you just come home and tell me about what Erica said?" Daniel shouted as he turned to start walking back towards the house.

"I needed to do something, something I was good at because I feel so helpless. I couldn't deal with the idea that he hurt me because I don't have any biological connection to him. In the end, the magic knows that you're connected to Zale, Janet and Claire and my baby; my Johnny has always felt closer to you in his terrifying moments. I don't have the relationship with our children the way you do and I can't change that."

Daniel turned and stared at him in shock, he'd had no idea that Jack had such fears and turmoil, "Jack…" he started.

"No Danny, it's my own fault but its hell to think of the damage I'd done by not getting beyond my past with Charlie and Sarah. Maybe if I had been there more during Zale's early years then he wouldn't have attacked me. They should choose you over me, all I'm going to do is screw it up and let them down!"

Daniel watched as Jack started walking again down to the road and back towards the house but before they got back to the door Daniel pulled Jack to a stop, "Jack our children love you so much, I need you to know that. Zale is broken up about the thought of hurting you again."

Jack pressed his hands into Daniel arms, harder than he ever did making Daniel squirm, "Daniel I fail everyone, sooner or later. How can you possibly love someone like that?"

Daniel jerked away from Jack, "Jack, what the hell is going on in that head of yours?"

"Everything!" he shouted, "All the things that have happened is just one more thing on top of the last. It's my fault you were hurt back home, it's my fault you were almost raped and I made you question everything I felt for you."

Daniel took in a deep breath, "We've had this conversation Jack, it doesn't matter. I moved on and I always wanted to be with you from the beginning of this Jack. I have never loved anyone the way I love you and I need you to figure that out and leave your insecurities at the door. Your children and I don't need it right now!"

Jack stared at him, glaring off in the distance like he couldn't make eye contact with Daniel. The younger man huffed and walked past Jack towards the door, "Look Jack, if you can't accept how much I love you and how much your children love you despite the past then I don't know what you want from us. I can't be the emotional crutch that you stand on because you don't know what to do about the past. You can't change it but you can still change the present and the future. Do whatever you have to do but don't ask me to stop loving you ever again. And don't you dare question it."

With that he walked inside the house, stopping short when he realized that everyone was sitting in the living room and had heard at least the last few minutes of the argument since they were shouting in front of the door.

"Hey, Papa isn't dead yet," Daniel said with false cheer as he walked past everyone towards the kitchen. He needed some distance from whatever Jack was dealing with because despite his anger and disappointment, he desperately wanted to reassure Jack that he loved him so much it hurt sometimes but they'd had this argument before and he didn't think coddling the other man was going to help.

Maybe distance and time would help them all.


	11. What To Do Now

p class="MsoNormal"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"Chapter Eleven: What To Do Now/strong/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"a name="OLE_LINK16"aa name="OLE_LINK15"/aspan style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Jack collapsed inelegantly on the step of the porch and pressed his head into his hand as his elbow took up residence on his knee. He was such an idiot sometimes. He didn't know what he was going to do now. Daniel had a good point, he didn't need to be doing this around their kids and maybe that was a good enough reason to take a step back, to let himself figure out where these insecurities were rising up from because it was like he was suddenly choking in them./span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"He heard the door open and close behind him, "Papa," Zale called out and he turned to find his son leaning against the door as far away as he could get. Jack sighed and shifted more towards Zale and opened his arms.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Zale shook his head and didn't move, "No Elle said that I shouldn't touch you until I have better control." He whispered the next words, "I don't want to hurt you Papa."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Jack frowned. He couldn't believe after everything this little boy cared so much more about him than he did about himself. He reached out again, leaning far enough over to tug Zale to sit down next to him then he released Zale's hand quickly and he looked down at Zale.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""I couldn't believe that your body, your power would ever think that you needed protection from me but maybe I deserve that. I spent too much time away, its one of the things Daddy and I argued about weeks before we were sent back in time. I don't know how to make it better Zale, how to let you know on a subconscious level that I am your father no matter what DNA and biology has to say."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Zale reached out and placed a gentle hand on Jack's knee and Jack forced himself not to reach out and cover the little boys hand. "Papa, I do not care that one of the twins was my mother, that I do not share a little piece of you because I do."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""Then why would your power lash out at me Zale? That's hard to argue with Z-Man."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Zale patted Jack's knee gently, "I cannot tell you why that happened Papa. I do not want to let go of you Papa but I will to make sure you are safe. Promise me that you will not forget that I love you as much as I love Daddy no matter who made my DNA."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Jack gave a tremulous smile, "You are so ridiculously like your Daddy sometimes Z-Man, I can't help loving you."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Zale smiled, "You are my Papa and I would do anything for you, to protect you. Even if that means not hugging you for a little while."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Jack nodded then he nudged Zale so the little boy nodded in return and walked back to the door and went inside. Jack stayed where he was and considered what Daniel had said and what Zale said to him. There wasn't a chance he would give up on Daniel, their relationship was everything to him but Daniel was also right that he didn't deserve the added need to make sure that Jack knew he was loved. Jack should be able to trust it without the constant need for something else, something more.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""Are you going to run away?" Akina asked as she slipped out the door and leaned against the wall. span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Jack snorted, "I don't know. I don't want to give in to all these insecurities and Daniel doesn't deserve to deal with it. I don't understand where all of them surfaced so hardcore today anyway."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Akina smiled, crossing her arms, "I think sometimes you don't understand what its really about; being married. He can help you through them as long as you're capable of doing the work."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Jack chuckled, "I know that Milady but this seems to be more than the garden variety insecurities. Maybe this has something to do with what happened with Zale or the warrior I fought today."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Akina frowned, "I will look into it for you with the warrior, what happened there? Did you win?"span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Jack snorted, "Yeah, I let the little upstart think he had a chance until he started talking to Daniel."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""What did he say to Daniel?" Akina demanded, angry all of a sudden. Jack was grateful that Daniel was such a loyal and trustworthy man since that reaction reminded him a lot of how he reacted when Daniel was getting bullied or hurt. Akina and Daniel's relationship had always been more sibling than lover but sometimes it was hard to differentiate from the two especially for those who didn't know Daniel and Akina the way he did. span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""He made some off color remarks, saying if I didn't win the fight then he would take Daniel and the kids. Daniel had a flashback and I dropped the warrior within a minute and started back here."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""That's my boy," Akina snarled.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Jack smiled at that then sobered quickly, "I have to find a way to make sure my children really do know that I love them and that I know them."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""And Daniel?"span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Jack shrugged, "He deserves a spouse who is willing to do anything to see him happy at all costs."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""Then be that person, at all costs," Akina said and then she knocked on the door, which apparently William was waiting for because he came out with Greer walking behind him quietly. They both nodded to Jack on the way past, leaving him alone with his thoughts again. He knew what he should do but he didn't really know how well it was going to go over, he hoped that Daniel wouldn't think it was him giving up but he needed to do something, regain some distance from all the magical mayhem and the emotional drama of the last six months. He didn't mean what he'd said to Daniel, he didn't blame Daniel for his lesser relationship with their children and Zale's outburst was just painful in more than one aspect.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Climbing from his place on the step, Jack walked inside the house to see Elle playing with the children in the living room and he could hear Daniel in the kitchen, slamming things around in his more than justified anger. He clearly was trying to contain it as best he could but Jack knew it was a losing battle sometimes. span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"He took a deep breath and headed for the kitchen, finding Daniel scrubbing what seemed like every dish in the room, the sink was full of bubbling water and Daniel's hands were sunk into the depths.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""Danny, we need to talk about what happened."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""I don't want to talk right now Jack, I need to clean the kitchen then I am going to make dinner for our children and I am going to sit down with them and find out how I can help them. I don't care what you do but I don't want to talk."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Jack stepped closer and touched the side of Daniel's face and he turned to look at Jack and the retired General was a little surprised to see more hurt than anger, though the second was a good disguise for the first. "Danny, you know that I love you more than life itself."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""Yes, that's not the problem though is it?" Daniel asked and tugged away from Jack so he could pull his hands from the water and dried his arms quickly and moved away from Jack where he was leaning against the counter.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""You're right, that's not the problem today and I need to figure out what happened. I can feel this weird depression trying to take hold of all my thoughts, like a sick darkness that has no intention of leaving, only growing."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""What are you going to do about it?" Daniel asked, crossing his arms over his chest in a slight self-hug that made Jack want to curl him into his arms. span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""I am going to get help, like our children are but I need to know if you want me to leave? Should I go and stay with Teal'c and Sam, should I stay with Erica? What do you want me to do Danny?"span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Daniel scoffed, "I want you to figure out what you need to do, you were a leader for years before you met me Colonel Jack and you have always been the strong one and now for some reason that's fading and I don't want that. I might have loved to argue with you once upon a time but it was never to be the leader of this family. I always wanted to be your equal, not your boss."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""You are Danny, that's why I'm asking if you need space from me."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Daniel heaved a frustrated sigh, "You're going to leave us then?" he asked.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Jack groaned, "No Daniel, I am asking if we should take some time?"span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""A break?" Daniel asked.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""Maybe, but not a break up. I don't want this to ever end, us being together but maybe I need some time to figure out what's happening to me and you need to know that its going to be better because I am getting the help I need. Just like the kids."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Daniel sighed, "I don't want to go to sleep and wake up without you there next to me Jack. I don't care how much it might hurt my feelings, I don't want you to be not here."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""What if I am here and it hurts you and the kids even more?" Jack asked, one of his main concerns really.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Daniel sighed, "You can't stop hurt feelings and bad things from happening Jack, and they are going to love you even when you make mistakes. So stay here and go see whoever you need to see during the day. Spend time with the children and right some of the wrongs you are so sure are there and let it go."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""And you Danny, what about what I said?" Jack asked. span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"Daniel snorted, "I told you I didn't want to talk but here we go. How dare you talk to me like it was up to me to work full time with Akina, to train so much of the time. I spent a lot of time working too but I was still here for as much of the firsts as I could be here for. You missed moments because you made the choice to. I was here the first time Johnny had a premonition and he started screaming, that's why he finds the comfort in me that he needs because I was always the first parent on the scene when he needed us. That was your choice Jack! Don't blame me for your mistakes."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""I know Danny, I didn't mean it."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""But you said it Jack and it's hard sometimes to let go of words, they can never be unsaid. I will let it go Jack but can you do that for yourself. Your children have seen more terror recently then Charlie ever did, they have gone through a whole new gamut of crazy things and have survived them all and come back to us even stronger, leave Charlie in the past where he has been resting for a long time and be here with your children and this life."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""I will Danny, I just need a little time and extra help."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""Then get it and come back to me Jack," Daniel said resolutely and went back to his dishes without a second look. Jack nodded and left him to it, returning to the living room where everyone was resolutely looking anywhere but at him. span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;""Elle, will you let your mother know I will be entering into mental healing starting tomorrow?"span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"She nodded with a tiny smile then she stood and walked to the door after giving hugs to all the children. Jack settled into one of the chairs around the room and watched as his children played and colored. He wanted to talk to them, to figure out more about them besides what he knew. He'd done much in the way of rectifying the absent father syndrome when they returned to the past but this was going to be different. He wanted to stay retired but he also had to find a way to make sure his children could protect themselves and that was something he knew how to do. Daniel had always argued, that they didn't need to put the children through such a grueling training process for some far off in the distance possibility but now it had happened already.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK15;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK16;"He didn't know what he was going to do to fix what he'd done but he did know he was going to do everything he could to make it better.span/span /p 


	12. Bonding

**Chapter Twelve: Bonding**

Upstairs in his bedroom sat both Greer and Johnny on the bed. The youngest Jackson-O'Neill knew his fathers' were fighting and his siblings were struggling and he didn't know what to do. The darkness inside had overwhelmed him for days after the kidnapping and when he hurt that man who was torturing him, Johnny didn't even know that was possible. He knew about defensive magic, his oldest brother and sister had it by the truckload, a favorite saying of Papa Jack.

"JJ you know you can talk to me right?" Greer asked suddenly.

Johnny looked up and over at his friend, the one he'd been so close to since they met. Greer touched a part of Johnny's head and heart in a way that sometimes his siblings didn't even reach. The only person to ever really touch him as deeply as Greer was the paternal love he shared with Daddy Daniel and even that wasn't an even a good comparison. He honestly didn't know why Greer was so special to him, he just was.

So when Greer demanded he share what happened to Johnny at the hands of the kidnappers, he'd shown him not just what happened but what it felt like. He didn't know any other way to share the experience when his inner voice was so hard to access. He was back to picture shows with other people but then again, he didn't want to share what happened to him. It was bad enough his Daddy Daniel saw the pictures he transmitted when he got between Greer and Johnny's hands.

Now he found he couldn't deny Greer again, he reached out a shaky hand towards Greer's face but stalled about half way there. Greer smiled at him encouragingly, grabbed his slender hand and pressed it into the other boy's cheek. Johnny didn't really know what he was doing, he had powers that he didn't understand and it wasn't just the premonitions anymore. He could touch the life force inside another now and Greer it seemed, everything was stronger and deeper. He used that little light inside himself and searched out the equal light within the other boy and shared his memories. He found a way to latch those lights together somehow. It was the first time he'd shared so much of himself with anyone, even his siblings. Greer gasped slightly when he figured out what Johnny was doing, pressing Johnny's hand tighter against his skin.

He tapped on Greer's arm and the ten year old opened his eyes, Johnny signed with his hands _'You okay?'_

Greer nodded, not dislodging Johnny's touch in the process. "You cannot speak can you?" he whispered as Johnny removed his hand.

Johnny sighed and shook his head even as Greer retained a slight hold on Johnny's hand. Then he removed his hand and used it to speak their hand language, _'I am tired. I cannot use my mind to send messages. Only the pictures transmit right now.'_

Greer nodded, "I was not awake during the kidnapping, you were hurt when I was sleeping and I hate that I could not stop them. I hate that Varrick sent us back in the first place but I am grateful that I was with you during that time otherwise I would not be as close to you as I am."

Johnny nodded, pressed his fingers into Greer's palm and sending him the contentment he always felt when he was with his friend. Greer had always been the outside influence that accepted Johnny in all his weirdness. Greer had, with a simple touch, been able to settle the panic and fear every time a premonition his Johnny and he could always make Johnny smile.

At the emotional transfer, Greer gasped a little and Johnny released his hold since he knew that sometimes it was overpowering; all those emotions that didn't belong in your mind and heart. He'd spent years figuring out how to profess his love without hurting his Papa and Daddy with the amount of feeling he could give to them through his abilities.

"I know what its like to never know if you can control your ability. Time travel is a dangerous ability and it is why I would not use it if I had the chance. I need to learn to control it but the fear at not controlling it is strong enough to change my mind."

Johnny nodded and used his hands again, leaving Greer's hand touching his knee in comfort. _'I would do what I can to keep family safe. Even hurt others, that scares me.'_

Greer nodded, "JJ, that is true of everyone especially here. It kept you alive."

_'I am young, should this really be in my mind? It should not be normal.'_

Johnny watched as Greer thought on that, a little frown furrowed into his brow before he spoke again, "You grew up Vannas, even though your parents are human and we are a fighting people, we only know how to take what we want and need at the end of a battle. Maybe you need to accept that this is who you are."

Johnny shrugged a little and thought about what his friend had to say, frowning when he pulled something from his memory banks and touched Greer's face again, showing his friend a memory of his Papa Jack fighting with other Vannas, training but also sparring. He hadn't done it in a long time but it sounded like Daddy was mad because Papa had been fighting again today.

"Yes, your Papa was fighting to keep you and your family safe. That is how life here works."

Johnny tugged his hand away from Greer's cheek once more and left his hands in his lap. He felt guilty that he was willing to talk to Greer this way but he wasn't also willing to do the same with his parents and siblings. They loved him too and why wasn't it enough?

"What?"

Johnny locked eyes with the emerald eyes of his friend and winced, _'Guilt, for not touching my family with my emotions and thoughts. It is easy with you.'_

"Do you imagine they will feel slighted and not love you?"

Johnny shrugged raising his hands to speak again, _'Maybe.'_

Greer tutted with his tongue a sound of disbelief, "Johnny, do not be silly. Your parents will always love you and be concerned about you. You are lucky to always have them you know."

Johnny fumbled before he started signing again, _'What if my silence hurts them too much and I cannot undo the hurt.'_

Greer sighed, "You are going to have to talk to them otherwise you will never know."

Johnny shrugged; he knew Greer was telling the truth and that he was only being a good friend about this but Johnny just wasn't ready to take the chance. Daddy Daniel was so sad after they all got hurt and Johnny didn't want to let his Daddy think that he was somehow not enough for Johnny. He didn't want to see the sadness turn into guilt and anger possibly. Johnny might have been alive for just over six years but thanks to the magic and the premonitions he'd grown up so much faster. On top of that, the magic had sped up their learning processes so he was so much more than a small child in his mind. He understood the damage he could do with the truth right now.

He signed out slowly, _'Please say nothing?'_

"Of course, its your family though I do hope you find out very quickly that they are always going to love you. I hope you trust in them the way I trust in you."

Johnny leaned forward and pressed his head into Greer's lap and allowed his friend to run his fingers gently through Johnny's hair, lulling him into relaxation. He would keep thinking about what Greer had to say, he trusted the Sky son more than anyone else in the world and he would never steer Johnny wrong especially with his family.


	13. Working Through the Pain

**Chapter Thirteen: Working Through the Pain**

Jack looked across the small room, straight into the light blue eyes of Erica and sighed as she just watched him, "This is difficult for me to do."

"That would be obvious as we have been sitting here in silence for half your allotted time already," Erica said with a smile. Jack had shown up at the appointed time this morning after a stress filled evening with Daniel and the kids and he so desperately wanted to work through everything that was in his head so he could return to them all better but even with magic, this was not a quick fix. "I do not wish to make a joke but I understand it is one of your favorite ways to deal with uncomfortable moments."

Jack nodded and heaved a sigh, his shoulders slumping as he leaned down to press his head into his hand. "Sometimes I forget how well you and your people know me, sometimes better than Daniel though I can't imagine that happens often outside of the sparring arena."

"Do you wonder why you have been able to share yourself so much better here among our people? Do you imagine that it makes the relationship between you and Daniel not as special?"

Jack frowned, "No to second question because each person knows a small piece of the whole and Daniel knows the whole thing for the most part. That makes him special but I do wonder sometimes why I was able to fit into the Vannas world, sometimes better than I ever did back home."

"Mayhap it is due to the warrior within you?" Erica guessed as she made a few notes on the strange device she wore on her wrist, it was another piece of Vannas technology that Sam had helped with, a recording device in which you could write out your notes on a side by side document supposedly. Sam was a genius to have created many of the tools the Vannas used that they would have no way to replicate without her mind behind it.

"I guess," he responded, "After the military and special ops training not to mention the Gate travel there is no way I can deny that I thrive in a warrior based society, Daniel and Sam reign supreme in the advanced cultures but something like the Vannas people who appreciate knowledge but really do believe in the strongest of warriors will survive mentality, that's where I live."

"Is that why you felt the need to fight yesterday?" she asked, bringing the discussion back to the topic that was supposed to be at hand.

"I have no ability to help my son through this time, I don't even have a basic understanding of how your physical bodies are connected to the mind of a Magis and how that changes the way you function at a fundamental level but I can kick someone's ass and show them that even at my age I can still protect my family. We just got back here and no one has come calling for a fight and now they won't. I could do that even if I can't do anything for Zale."

"Do you truly believe that physical protection is all you bring to your family?" Erica asked gently.

Jack shrugged, "Sometimes yeah I do think that."

"What was it like for you in the past?"

Jack frowned and snapped, "What does that have to do with anything?"

"You cannot deny Jack that your whole family has come back to us changed because of your time in the past."

Jack knew that was true and thought back to the time he'd spent in the past with Daniel and the kids. He thought about the struggle and heaved another shaky sigh and started the best way he could; with the hardest stuff first. "Daniel was almost raped by my brother on the day we decided to renew our vows." Erica's eyes widened but other than that maintained her professional demeanor and Jack couldn't help but be impressed with her in that moment. Jack knew how much these people truly loved Daniel and he could almost feel how much she suddenly needed to see Daniel and check him over since she was his personal doctor/healer here. "Henry believed that Daniel was to blame for making me gay and he wanted to punish Danny. Up to that point Daniel had been dealing with a lot of negativity from my family and just outright hatred for who I was because of him."

"You could not protect him from this," Erica guessed.

Jack shook his head, "I wanted to and I told my mother, who was the ring leader about hating on Daniel, that if it came down to a choice between her and my family she was going to be disappointed. She wanted to keep my first wife in her life so badly and have some happy reunion between the two of us and Daniel screwed that dream up for her. All of those things, Daniel struggled through as best he could and we walked together through the trauma left over from being assaulted but I wondered if I was really worth all this trouble. I had already been fighting with Daniel before we left here and though we worked through it all, it was still there beneath the surface and some of it came out yesterday."

"What parts?"

"The problems I have had with not being with the kids, not being there through a lot of the hard times in the past ten years but also the good times that Daniel was there for and I was too busy working for the Queen, that position was too important to me and I didn't know how to get past that."

"Were you afraid to be a part of your children's lives?" Erica asked gently.

Jack winced because in so many ways that was the nail in the center of all the problems, "I lost my son when he was about nine years old and in a lot of ways I don't know how to be a present father and I didn't try to change that when the Z-twins got a little older and then Lust and Desire got pregnant again. By that time Adrian and DK were always at the house and I could go off, like I did with my first family. I yelled at Daniel yesterday about not being close to the kids, I even brought up the fact that Johnny's not really Daniel's child which is so much bullshit I can't believe he let me sleep next to him last night."

He fell silent, uncomfortable in the lack of words and wished she would speak but then he finally noticed the slight warmth spreading out from his chest and he stared at her in shock.

"Yes Jack, this is part of the healing. I placed a marker in your heart so we could talk through some of your problems while my ability searches out the hurt and starts the healing process."

Jack nodded, always a little leery about magic despite living around it for over a decade but he pressed a hand into his chest. Suddenly he felt tears well in his eyes at the thought of all the hurt he had been doing to his family. He didn't know how he was ever going to move on from such disappointment and he didn't understand why Daniel put up with this crap. He knew over the years of their relationship that Daniel was no saint and they'd argued plenty of times about the fact that their home was rarely ever theirs because Daniel was always inviting his work home with him and it was the reason he'd been hurt in the past, that never-ending need to be there for every stranger he met on the street but then it was also Daniel's heart that Jack had first fallen in love with.

"What's happening to me?" Jack demanded harshly as he sucked in a deep breath and tried to waylay the painful sobs taking up residence on his chest.

"You are opening yourself to the pain and the fear in your heart, you cannot heal from it until you are willing to see it for what it is. These are feelings and they are valid but you can and will move beyond them."

Now Erica's voice was shifting in and out of focus in Jack's head, the sound of his hear beating rising in his ears. He pressed his hand over his mouth and sucked in a deep breath and attempted again to push down the agony rising inside him and he watched as Erica stood, as if shocked by something she seen or felt then she was next to him. He didn't feel her hand on his chest; all his nerve endings seemed to be numb in the face of the fear trying to drown him.

"Jack, I need you to try to breath through your nose and out through your mouth." She started counting and he could barely hear over the rush of blood in his veins and he felt the rising ache in his chest and arm, terrified that he was going to have a heart attack without telling Daniel how much he loved him.

"Come on Jack, breath while I count," she crooned and he finally latched onto one thing, while she was counting and breathing. Finally something broke through and the attack petered out, leaving Jack exhausted and aching and when his eyes finally opened he looked at Erica who was staring at him in concern.

"What was that?"

"Well I think Zale did more than shock you with his powers yesterday," she finally said with an aggravated sigh.

"What?" Jack asked.

"I think the magic slipped a sliver into your soul, something to awaken a deep well of sadness and I do not know how to fix it besides working through your pain with you. The best we can do until his Magis is reawakened is give the sliver less to work with."

Jack frowned pressing his hand into Erica's which still rested over his heart, "What will happen if the 'sliver' isn't removed?" he was pretty sure he knew the answer, he'd seen depression and self hatred do more damage than an enemy with a gun over his years with the military.

"I believe you will become erratic and possibly hurt yourself or allow someone else to hurt you."

"This is going to kill me," Jack responded, black and white; it was his way after all.

Her solemn nod was the only answer he needed as he sat in his chair and wondered how much time he was going to have and what he could do to soften the blow to Daniel and their children who were only finding their way back from their pain.


	14. Keep Moving Forward

**Chapter Fourteen: Keep Moving Forward**

Daniel watched as the days moved at a leisurely pace, Jack going to therapy with Erica everyday and the kids working with Akina and William and he was working with Greer so the little boy would see Johnny every day. He hadn't gone back to the training center where he used to teach classes, he couldn't go back yet. He couldn't leave his family when they clearly needed him.

Greer was breaking through with Johnny who was opening up to them a little at a time. Zale and Zada were breaking out of the self-imposed shell they were in after the attack and Akina and William were pleased with the magical leaps the Z-twins were making. Zale hadn't heard from Xylander but he was releasing magic, working around the island under the care of Akina and William as part of their training so he wasn't a danger so much anymore.

The biggest concern Daniel had after weeks of this schedule was Jack; he seemed to be getting worse despite the sessions. He was speaking to Daniel about a lot of things from his past and their relationship so in a lot of ways they were in the best relationship of their past together except for maybe the very beginning of their love affair but Jack hadn't touched Daniel in about ten days, they kissed and held each other but sex and making out were clearly unwelcome. He was also distant with Zale, it wasn't so bad with the rest of the kids but their eldest son kept trying to reach out to his Papa and Jack would barely touch Zale or talk to him.

At least nothing ever came from anger, Jack had never touched Zale or any of them in rage but then in the last three days he'd found Jack crying more than once and he would just wave Daniel away and say it was nothing and he was working on it with Erica. Everything was going to be fine, the older man promised but finally Daniel couldn't deal with it when one day Jack didn't even come to bed, staying in the family room to sleep on the couch.

Daniel woke in the middle of the night cold and missing his husband, finding him on the couch. He leaned down and nudged Jack in the shoulder a couple of times, not trying to be gentle at all and Jack awoke with a grunt of pain. "What?" he groaned.

"You need to get your handsome ass in bed," Daniel said through gritted teeth.

"No Danny," he croaked out. "I can't be close to you right now, I need some space because every time I am close to you I want to cry and I'm sick of it."

"Sick of crying or sick of me?" Daniel demanded quietly, not wanting to wake his children who were just upstairs with one door between them and whatever their parents were saying in the living room.

"Danny, please don't do this right now, I'm not ready."

"Not ready for what?" Daniel hissed.

"Not ready to say goodbye," Jack returned and slapped a hand over his mouth at that.

"Is that why you are being so reticent with your children? You really are going to leave us?" Daniel demanded as he started pacing in the living room in a self-hug position with his robe moving around his legs.

"Not by choice Danny, something happened that day when Zale shocked me, something that Erica couldn't fix. It has to be Zale with Xylander to help."

"What happened?" Daniel demanded as he stopped to stare at his husband, terrified what was going on here.

"Erica called it a sliver in my heart, it's opening a well of sadness and depression. She is helping me work through a lot of stuff but I can feel it sucking me down. I am going to become erratic and I could try to kill myself or let someone do it for me. I can't let that happen in front of you or the kids, please Danny. This thing is—."

"Please don't tell me that," Daniel whimpered as he dropped to his knees in front of Jack who was sitting up on the couch. "You can't leave me here alone, I need you so much Jack!" his words were almost swallowed up in hiccupping little sobs and he reached out to take Jack's hands between his.

"Daniel, I didn't want to tell you like this but I guess there was no choice. I don't know how long I have."

Daniel sucked in a deep breath and moved in between Jack's legs and pushed up to kiss Jack, pressing every hint of love and care into the caress as he could, maybe he could keep Jack fighting despite the sadness. He waited and hoped Jack would kiss him back and it took a long time, patience winning out when Jack sucked in a harsh breath and leaned into the kiss. Jack's hands slipped down and around Daniel's neck and he gripped Jack to him. He pulled away a little to take in a deep breath just above Jack's mouth while the older man struggled to maintain some sort of control over himself.

"Jack don't give up please," he whispered gently.

The older man nodded and he pressed a hand to his heart, keeping the other around the back of Jack's neck. "Danny, the sadness is lifting a little. Take me to bed and just hold me please?" he husked gently.

Daniel nodded and got up from the floor and dragged Jack to his feet and took him back to their bedroom. He closed the door and removed Jack's shirt and took a moment in the moonlight to appreciate that even at sixty Jack was a very fit and attractive man. He could still bring pleasure to Daniel in bed and he could keep up with five children. He helped Jack slip out of his jeans and helped him into some soft pajama pants before shoving the older man to their bed and pulling off his robe and followed Jack in.

"Jack, I love you so much Colonel."

The older man nodded as Daniel slipped a hand around the back of Jack's neck and pulled him close into his neck and Daniel's other hand slipped comfortingly around Jack's back. "I've never felt this sad Danny, even when Charlie died I just wanted to be gone. Now I so desperately want to stay and I feel to heavy and sad, I can't lay that on you and the kids."

Daniel shushed him gently, "I know babe," he whispered. He tilted Jack's head back and took the older man's lips again, if making out and being close like this helped to lift the sadness just a little then Daniel would go without sleep and he would live with the scruff burns from making out like a teenager all night long.

Jack groaned into the kiss, a sound of weary pleasure. Daniel pressed his tongue in and tasted Jack's sadness but there was also passion and Daniel chased it gently. He massaged Jack's mouth and tongue with his own, turning his head this way and that to get a different angle and just let everything slip away besides being exactly what Jack needed.

The never-ending kiss went on for so long, Daniel lost sight of why he was doing it in the first place and he reached down with one hand across Jack's chest which hid his jackhammering heartbeat and the sweat that was slicking under his fingers before he slipped his hand down in Jack's boxers and gripped at his cock only it wasn't full, not even half mast while his own was straining to get closer to Jack and everything came crashing to a halt.

Daniel pulled his pleasantly bruised lips from Jack's mouth and leaned down and pressed a kiss to Jack's cheek, "How you doing Colonel Jack?" he whispered against his husband's lips.

Jack took in a heaving breath, "I want you, I wish I could feel it right now for you."

"Don't apologize to me for feeling sad Jack, it's not your fault."

"I have never a day in our lives together not being turned on by you breathing air, let alone your lips and hands on me."

Daniel leaned forward and pressed another short kiss to Jack's lips, "I love you enough to not take it personally Jack."

"You love me too much Daniel Jackson, you are too good to me all the days of our life together and I need you to know that I love you so desperately that I would happily live out the rest of my life with this sliver inside me as long as you're here with me. I'm sorry I forgot that for a while. I'm sorry Danny."

Daniel slipped his hand through Jack's hair and Jack curled in close once again, "Stop apologizing love. I'm here no matter what and you've been trying so hard with me but I think you need to talk to your son."

Jack pulled away at that, staring into Daniel's blue eyes, "Daniel I don't want them to be hurt so much worse when I die because I could end up killing myself and I don't want them to be hurt even more. Maybe if they are angry with me then it won't hurt so bad."

Daniel scoffed at that, "Don't be an idiot Jack. If we're going to lose you, not that I'm willing to let you die just yet you bonehead, then all of our children are going to need to know that you love them."

Jack laughed then looked shocked by it, "You're right Danny, I think it's just the sadness overpowering my logic and skewing my reality."

Daniel nodded pleased with Jack's decision then grinned a little, "Wanna make out some more before you sleep?"

Jack smiled, "You're not going to hate me if I can't get it up?"

"Of course not Jack, I didn't mean to push you I just got a little caught up in the moment."

Jack nodded and leaned up, a hand on Daniel's neck pulling them in close to kiss again. This time Daniel held the passion at bay, relearning his husband gently and lovingly until Jack pulled away and tucked his head into the crook of Daniel's shoulder, so the younger man gently rubbed his fingers through Jack's short hair and listened as his breathing slowed and evened out. He stayed awake until the light filtered into their room and he knew he was going to have to get up with the kids soon though Jack was actually sleeping so he didn't want to move. He wondered if the kids had been sensing anything of what Jack was feeling. He didn't know if the avoiding dance was one sided with only Jack or if the children were sensing the pain and were pulling away as well or at least allowing the distance to widen.

With that thought in mind, he gently placed Jack down on the pillow and breathed a sigh of relief when he was extricated without waking Jack then he grabbed and put on his robe. He headed out of the bedroom and upstairs, knocking gently on each door before he walked to Johnny's room and opened the door, gasping when he found Greer sleeping on the floor next to Johnny's bed, their hands clasped while they slept.

"What is going on here?" Daniel demanded.

Greer snapped up right in shock, rubbing his eyes and removing his hand from Johnny's, which woke the youngest Jackson-O'Neill. He glared at his father then he shook it off quickly as if he didn't know why he was glaring in the first place. He made some hand motions, too quick for Daniel to interpret and Greer sighed, "I am sorry for not speaking to you about this but Johnny has been having a difficult time sleeping. Being here has helped him, my parents do not know, I have been slipping out and in before they come to check on me."

"Do you expect me to keep this from your parents?" Daniel demanded angry all of a sudden that Johnny would speak to Greer but he would barely give Jack and Daniel the time of day. There was a chance that Jack was going to do and his littlest boy wouldn't even touch them like he used to anymore but he would speak to Greer, let Greer touch him and comfort him but anytime Daniel tried he felt like he was making things worse.

"Go home Greer, and I suggest you tell your parents about this before you come over this afternoon or I will."

Daniel watched as Greer touched Johnny's shoulder in comfort before he slipped out the door and Daniel turned to see the rest of his children up and scratching their heads in confusion. Daniel stuffed down the anger and resentment, he would have to speak to Johnny about it later, that was not what this little family gathering was for.

"Do you know what's happening with Papa?" he asked them all gently.

He got a lot of shrugging then Claire spoke, "Papa is sad, it's like a sickness inside him and it's getting bigger."

"What can we do to help you, do you think?" Daniel asked them.

"We can let him know all the time how much we love him," Claire enthused.

Daniel smiled, "I think that's a wonderful idea. Anyone have a problem with that course of action?" he asked looking pointedly at Johnny and Zale. The girls were smiling and looking very excited about the idea of loving on Papa. Daniel hugged them close and whispered to the girls, "Go tell and show Papa how much you love him. He's still in bed right now."

The girls ran out and down the stairs, leaving behind a trail of giggles and whispers of secret missions and how much they loved Papa. Daniel speared Johnny with a look then Zale when they attempted to follow.

"Zale, when you shocked Papa something else happened to him. You hit him in the heart and the sadness inside him is building and there is nothing that anyone can do besides you and Xylander. I need you to try to get him back because I need Papa and so do you."

Zale looked at him in silence and Daniel wondered about the complete lack of surprised.

"Did you know this had something to do with the attack?" Daniel demanded, trying not to get so angry but he didn't know how to deal with this new father versus son problem he seemed to be having.

"I didn't know for sure but I wondered, the timing could not be bad luck."

"Well it wasn't and I can't understand why you both would hide this from me? Did you miss the fact that it's killing him Zale?" Daniel whispered.

Zale shook his head, "I could sense my magic inside him but without Xylander, I can't fix it. I didn't do it and I didn't know he had not told you."

Daniel always knew when his eldest son was really upset because he tended to use more contractions in his speech. Daniel took a deep breath and looked to Zale, "I need you to remind your father that you love him and you are going to do everything you can to save me please?"

Zale nodded and moved forward to hug Daniel around the waist gently before he was left alone with Johnny. His youngest was sitting on the bed, his arms crossed and he wouldn't look up at Daniel.

"I don't understand why you won't try Jonathan, I don't understand why your Papa's love and my love isn't good enough for you that you would continue to hide out from us and only speak through Greer. Explain to me why you can't connect to us anymore."

Daniel waited, moving to sit in the chair in the boy's bedroom and waited for him to do something, to give Daniel any indication that he was listening or that he was willing to do something about it.

"I won't have any choice but to separate you from Greer if you can't at least try with me and Papa," Daniel said, knowing it was a threat of punishment and with magically enhanced children sometimes the prospect of punishing any of them was a strange struggle. Johnny's head snapped up at Daniel's words and those chocolate brown eyes locked on Daniel's blue ones and he glared at him again. Johnny reached out and gripped Daniel's wrist and sent a jolt of pain through his body, forcing Daniel to pull away from his son.

"What the hell JJ! You're not giving me any reason not to punish you."

Johnny waved his hands and started waving his hands around trying to communicate with Daniel but he just shook his head and reached out his hand.

"Tell me another way Johnny, reach out and take my hand. Let me in please," Daniel begged.

Johnny reached out and placed his hand gently into Daniel's palm and a flood of information rushed into his mind. He retold the stories of what happened to him at the facility when they were kidnapped, what he had to do to protect himself and the shame he felt because of it. He told Daniel how much he cared about Greer that the other boy demanded that Johnny talk to his family instead of him but because the boy loved Johnny he couldn't actually tell the youngest Jackson-O'Neill no.

Johnny shared how scared he was that Jack and Daniel would learn the truth of his actions and not only that but how much of him wanted to keep hurting the people who hurt his family. He showed Daniel the fear he felt when he realized that Papa Jack was hurting so much that they could possibly lose him and Johnny wasn't doing what he'd always done to help let his parents know how much he truly loved them.

When Johnny pulled away, Daniel fell to his knees with a heavy thud and took a couple of deep breaths before he looked up at Johnny's face and noticed that the usual faraway look had receded, it wasn't gone completely but a little bit more of their beautiful little boy was coming back.

Johnny pressed a hand to Daniel's cheek this time and all he could sense was sadness and love. Daniel smiled a little, and pressed his hand over Johnny's for a moment before he let go and turned just as Jack came rushing into the room, "You okay Danny?" he asked then he focused on Johnny who was just barely pulling away from Daniel's face. Jack sighed, clearly exhausted by coming to the rescue and Daniel smiled lovingly to his husband; so grateful for the loving man he called his own.


	15. Waking Up to Love

p class="MsoNormal"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"Chapter Fifteen: Waking Up to Love/strong/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"a name="OLE_LINK87"aa name="OLE_LINK86"/aspan style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Jack slowly came out of the first good sleep he'd had in weeks, surprised to find Daniel not there but then noticed the light streaming in through their windows. No matter what was going on, all their children had schedules to keep though it seemed a little early to be waking them up. Then he woke the rest of the way very quickly when several bodies clambered up into bed with him and squished into his sides. His eyes opened to Zada on one side and Claire and Janet on the other pressing kisses to his face and neck and murmuring 'I love yous' into his skin. /span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Daniel, of course, was responsible for this suddenly influx of love but as the poisonous black hole inside his chest wavered and shrunk under the love and devotion from his daughters. Jack slipped his arms around them and hugged them close, kissing them back. He could hear the low voices of Daniel upstairs and he sounded angry if Jack knew him as well as he thought he did.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""Can you guys go and start breakfast please?" Jack asked Zada and the twins.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"They nodded happily and started walking away after last kisses and as every hand left him he could feel the strong echo of how much his daughters loved him. Jack knew they did but he'd been so wrapped up in hurting that he hadn't want to touch them and be reminded of the love they felt for him because he was clearly failing them. Daniel helped to remind Jack this morning that he was only failing them by not showing them how much he loved them.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Then he heard Daniel thud to the floor and he jumped up out of bed and up the stairs and looked through each room only to find Johnny with his hand on Daniel's cheek and Daniel's eyes were wet with moisture. span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""You okay?" he demanded and Daniel smiled though the expression was filled with a good dose of sadness. span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""Yeah Jack, did you run up here to save me?" Daniel asked in a loving tone.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Jack took a couple deep breaths so he could calm his heartbeat and he walked into the room and helped Daniel up from his knees and hugged him close. He didn't like hearing Daniel drop and possibly get hurt when Jack wasn't there to stop it from happening. What if he let this thing win? He thought as Jack tightened his arms around Daniel and pressed a kiss into the back of Daniel's neck.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""I'm going to do everything in my power to stay alive Danny, this thing isn't going to take me away from you and the kids."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Daniel pulled away and pressed his forehead to Jack's, "That's my man."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Jack chuckled then pulled away, looking down at Johnny who was still sitting on his bed. Jack pressed himself down on the floor in front of his son and took Johnny's hands in his. He'd seen his little boy touching Daniel for the second time since the kidnapping and hoped maybe he was ready to let them back in a little bit. He felt as Johnny's power lit him up from the inside out with love and regret. Johnny wished so desperately to go back to the person he was before but didn't know how. Jack sent back soothing thoughts and just how much he loved his little boy. Then Johnny was pulling away and standing, saying without words that they were done with the moment and Jack could tell it had been as tiring for Johnny as it was for Jack to get his butt up here for Daniel.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Jack got up and all three of them walked downstairs and started breakfast together. Jack sat down at the table among the children and listened to them speak in Latin before shifting back to some of their previous languages and he knew it wasn't going to be that easy. He could already feel the pull of sadness, trying to take back territory in his soul that had already been poisoned by the sliver in his heart. It was trying to spread and Jack just held onto the moment, listened to the kids talking to each other as they touched him and sent him grains of love which crashed against the ever growing waves of sadness. Daniel was pressed close to him much of the morning and even with all that he knew it wasn't the end.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"It wouldn't be so easily fixed without Xylander and Zale. Jack could see the recognition in his son's eyes, he knew whether from Daniel or intuition that he needed to fix what was going on inside of Jack and the look was coupled with sadness because he couldn't do anything without his inner Magis.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"After breakfast Jack helped get everyone ready for the day and pressed quick kisses to everyone's heads before he pressed his mouth to Daniel's and waited for the every present rise in heart rate that Daniel caused and it still didn't come but the way Daniel kissed him anyway and held him close was enough to give Jack the strength to leave the house and go to his appointment with Erica. span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"She welcomed him a few minutes later and they walked into her office and closed the door. Jack settled on the couch and waited as she sat next to him and placed a hand over his heart, something that she did at the start and finish of every session to gage the sliver's progress and after moments of magical warmth and humming in interest she pulled back and moved to her chair across the way.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""So?" Jack asked.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""I think that you had some sort of breakthrough with Daniel and the children," Erica said immediately.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""Why would you think that?" Jack asked in curiosity. Sometimes Erica and many of her Vannas cohorts enjoyed a good vague explanation and sometimes he liked to play their game as well.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""Because the darkness has receded quite a bit and you seem brighter than you have in days."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""Daniel forced me to tell him the whole story, what was happening because I was sleeping on the couch last night. I couldn't lie down next to him again, I couldn't cry again and not tell him so I ran to the living room per se and hid out until he found me. He was kissing me and I could feel the darkness moving away, I didn't feel actual attraction or passion but the darkness stopped forcing itself forward. So we kissed a lot and then Daniel just held me the rest of the night than sicced the kids on me this morning."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""Oh?" Erica asked, her brow rose in curiosity.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""Yeah they all climbed into bed with me and started telling me how much they loved me but it wasn't just the words like it has been but feeling their emotions and love once more. It reminded me that they are worth staying alive for, all of them."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""Yes they are, and Zale?"span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""He wasn't very present with me but he silently acknowledged that he knows this has something to do with his powers and his Magis. I could see the quiet fight in him, that he was going to keep working through this and Johnny," Jack paused as his voice hitched in the start of a sob. "Johnny shared his feelings with Danny and I this morning, I get the feeling there was a lot going on before I got to the bedroom but he did share his feelings with me which is such a huge step for him."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Erica smiled, "It is good to hear the feeling in your voice again Jack. I had feared I was going to lose you very soon to the sadness. Once again your husband proves more resilient than even us Vannas are sometimes. It shall be a good day when he comes back to teaching many instead of a few."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Jack preened; proud of his husband who thrived in this world as much as Jack did when he wasn't being rolled over by supernatural sadness. "Why do you think Daniel was able to break through when you couldn't with magic?" he asked.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""I think that Daniel has a magic more pure and powerful than anything I can wield."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Jack frowned, "Huh?"span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""Love, Jack." She chuckled, "He loves you and you love him, that's more powerful than any spell could ever be."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""When I hugged him this morning, I knew I was going to keep fighting," Jack murmured quietly and Erica smiled.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""Like I previously stated, it is good to see this in you again Jack. We shall keep working through the other triggers and keep them from making things worse and make sure you take an interest in the kids and Daniel, I know that's been rough for the last couple weeks but you need them as much as they need you. Take an interest in Zale especially and see what he needs help with."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Jack nodded and watched the other woman as she made some notes on her recording device before she ended the session and he walked to the door and walked back towards the house slowly, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the slight breeze sifting through his hair and across his skin. He came around the last corner and frowned as he watched someone pounding on the door of his home. His mind tried to figure out where he knew the guy from but he wasn't getting it as he rushed the rest of the way to the door, hearing what the guy was shouting.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""We all know that Jack is losing his marbles, Jackson! It is time to pick a new protector and I am here to claim my right first!"span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""Hey!" Jack shouted suddenly placing the young warrior as the man who fought Jack in the arena a couple weeks before, who said he was going to take Daniel for himself. "Get off my doorstep unless you want to find out what the penalty is for screwing with another man's family."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"The warrior stopped pounding on the door and turned to Jack, "Are you going to call out to your protector the queen?" he sneered.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Jack snorted, "I don't need the queen to kick your ass but you are going to need her to tear me off of you before you die," Jack said, getting up close with the younger man's face before he moved between the warrior's body and the door. Then he pressed his hands into the warrior's chest and shoved him away. "Come back here again and I will find the one gun I smuggled back to this world and I will use it to shoot you in the chest and I am going to watch as it kills you slowly."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"The warrior's eyes widened and he took off towards the castle and undoubtedly the training grounds. Then Jack turned and opened the door to find Daniel holding Janet and Claire close to him on the couch and Zada was sitting next to him. Johnny and Zale were holding each other, "What happened?" Jack asked them.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Daniel shrugged, "He just came and started shouting through the door. He's going to take me away from you and he said some things about the kids. He was only making noise but he was trying to get in for a few seconds there before you came up. Thank god you're here Jack."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Jack watched as Daniel shuddered and he moved across the room to take his young husband into his arms and tucked Daniel's face into his neck, "You are fine Danny. I'm not going anywhere, I promise. I am not going to let anyone hurt you."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Daniel nodded jerkily into Jack's shoulder; he touched each child on the head and worked on calming them. He would need to speak to Akina about the warrior, he didn't even know the man's name but under the laws of these people, no one could just decide to take someone or something without winning in a fight and Akina didn't believe in people belonging to the victors of battles, it was in old idea from a long time ago and there was no reason for this guy to be coming to Jack's home and try to take Daniel away from him.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"This was purpose, something important for Jack to keep surviving for. He'd been protecting Daniel for years and as Jack's spouse and the other parent of his children Daniel needed to be protected.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""You guys okay?" he asked as he pulled away from Daniel, whose eyes were filling with tears as he walked back to the kitchen, undoubtedly trying to pull himself together. The kids all nodded.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""We knew you was coming Papa," Janet said happily.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""Magically?" Jack asked with a snort.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""No," Janet said with a vigorous shake of her head, which threw her dark blonde curls around. "Because you're our Papa and that's what you do."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Jack sighed and thought about that trust they had in him whether he'd earned it or not. He sat down on the couch and they all walked over and he hugged them tightly before they went back to playing and Jack got up and walked to the kitchen where Daniel was sitting at the table with a cup between his hands, Jack walked over and sat down next to him.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""Jack, I can't do this without you," Daniel whispered hoarsely.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"The older man pressed a hand to the back of Daniel's neck, "You helped me break through last night and this morning. You reminded me that I have everything to fight for and I am gonna keep fighting."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""You're all better?" Daniel asked quietly, a little hopeful but not sure.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Jack shook his head, "Its not over Daniel, I have to keep working through with Erica and talk to Zale but I'm going to get better Danny because of you and the kids."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""We can't be the only reason you stay," Daniel whispered as he took Jack's free hand.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""I have no reason to let go of my life, I have a good life with an amazing husband and the most wonderful children I could possibly ever have." Jack said and leaned in close to press his lips to the side of Daniel's head. Daniel tightened his grip on Jack's hand and he could feel the shiver in the younger man's hand.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""You going to be okay Danny," Jack said, it wasn't at all a question. This was just who Daniel was, he was strong enough to make it through whatever was happening.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Daniel chuckled, "Did you say you had a gun?"span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""Yeah I said that and yes I do but it's in a gun safe inside the closet. I unpacked it so you and your royal gal pal didn't know about it though I shouldn't have hidden it from you."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Daniel glared at him, "Damn right Jack."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Jack shrugged, "None of the kids know where it is but since you now know about it, maybe we should talk to the kids about gun safety though I've been telling them for a long time."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Daniel nodded, "They won't touch it but you're right about teaching them gun safety."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""Are you ready to rejoin the kids?" Jack asked.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Daniel turned more fully towards Jack, "What did Erica say? How was your session?" span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Jack smiled a little though he could feel the darkness sneaking in at the edges. He would need to keep working on everything. Depression, even magical illnesses weren't quick fixes. "She said I am doing a lot better today than I have in weeks, she was pleased but now she wants me to step up the action, spending time with the children and you, talking to them and remembering that you are so much of my reason for life and happiness."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Daniel smiled, "I am glad you are getting away from the past and everything withspan style="mso-spacerun: yes;" spanyour family and Charlie, I always hoped I would get to watch you like this. When you would stop living in the past and your mistakes, I'm glad I get to be here for it."/span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""What about you Danny, did you need to talk about anything? I know we have talked a lot about everything that happened in the past and when we were there but I want you to know that I always want to hear from you but if you need to talk to someone else that's okay too."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"Daniel leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Jack's and he could see his handsome husband smiling just a little, "You're a good man O'Neill and I love you but I am doing okay. Just do what you gotta do to stay here with me."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;""Will do my Danny," Jack whispered and leaned in close to kiss Daniel on the lips pleased when there wasn't any shiver or reason to think Daniel was still worried about the warrior. He wasn't going to let whatever was happening with that guy continue. Akina knew a little bit about what was happening but the bull that he pulled today was definitely not okay by the queen's standards.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"He let Daniel get up and smiled a little as Daniel walked back to the living room and Jack headed out to the stairs, walking up to speak to Zale. They needed to talk and he had to stop hiding from the fact that he had a serious problem with the Magis inside his son but Zale wasn't at fault for that.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK86;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK87;"It was time to move forward like Daniel and Erica always wanted him to do.span/span /p 


	16. Father Son Talk

**Chapter Sixteen: Father Son Talk**

Zale looked up as Papa Jack walked into his bedroom and he put down the book he was reading from and waited for the talk that had been a long time coming, ever since he'd shocked his father.

Jack sat down on the bed and clasped his hands between his knees, "Zale I need to tell you something but first I need to tell you how sorry I am."

Zale frowned, not expecting that, "Papa?" he questioned.

"I need you to know that I love you so much, with or without Xylander inside your mind. I know you have gotten the sense that I blame you for what's going on with me and I need you to know that it's not your fault and even though you need to help me to fix it doesn't mean that it's your fault."

"Papa, my powers hurt you," Zale said, as if his father needed a reminder about it. He had not heard anything from Xylander and he was getting antsy about it, thinking maybe the inner magical being was gone for good.

"Listen son, it wasn't just the electrical current, Healer Trinity says that the magic hit my heart and that's what is causing the depression. She called it a sliver in my soul. Is there anything you can do with Lady Akina and Sir William about Xylander?"

Zale stared at him, shocked at his father's words. He'd truly believed that the anger his father was feeling still had to do with the electric shock but this; he was causing his Papa's sadness, the sadness he felt inside Papa this morning was almost overwhelming. He shook his head, his eyes blurring as the tears caught on his lashes before they hit his cheek. "Please tell me that is not true Papa."

Jack shook his head, reaching out and Zale jumped up and slipped into his father's arms and felt his Papa's fingers sliding through his hair and around his back. Jack shushed him gently even as Zale attempted to not cry out his sadness.

"I know son," Jack whispered. "You would never do anything like this under your own control and it is just one more reason for you to make a breakthrough. Maybe try something different because no matter what we do, this sadness is going to overwhelm me and I don't want that to happen."

Zale shook his head into the side of Jack's neck, he hated the idea of the pain his father was in because of him. He hugged his dad tightly and sighed, "I promise Papa, I am going to fix this."

"I know you can do this Zale, you are my strong little man and this is just one more thing. I know it seems like you have already had one to many things in your short life but I know that happy times are coming around for us again."

Zale smiled as he sat down, pulling away from Papa's neck, "That's so corny Papa."

"I know it is son but you love it," Papa said with a grin.

Zale smiled and moved back to his chair at the desk, watching Jack as he rose from the bed and walked out of the room. He wanted to be able to call Papa back and fix this right now but he knew that wasn't possible, if his power hurt Papa Jack then he need Xylander's help.

"Hey Zale," Zada whispered as she walked into the room.

"Zada, Papa's sadness is my fault."

His sister nodded a little like she wasn't surprised as she walked all the way over to him and slipped an arm around Zale's shoulder. Her head leaned close to touch Zale's temple and he could feel the warm invasion of her Magis slipping into his mind, "Zada, what are you doing?"

"Just relax Z, let me in and maybe I can find out what is keeping Xylander at bay."

Zale nodded but moved, dislodging his sister for a moment before he laid down on the bed. Zada laid down besides him and pressed a hand to his chest, laying her head on his shoulder. Again he felt the invading warmth as Zada's Magis climbed into him between their contact. Sarafina and Zada had always been good at seeing into others without invading privacy or hurting other people whereas Zale and Xylander were constantly at odds with each other so touching another person with his power was a dangerous thing.

"Just close your eyes and let go brother," Zada whispered.

Zale nodded and closed his eyes; he sunk into his own mind where Sarafina was finding her way in the darkness of Zale's mind where Xylander should have been. He found his way back to the deep forest where he'd first met his Magis when he was a toddler and he looked around realizing the woods were bereft and empty. Standing in his mind's projection of Xylander's place Zale realized for the first time he might have to learn to live life without Xylander.

"Do not give up hope," Sarafina said and he turned to look at her, she was the same as always with her child-like body though her facial features were bizarrely adult, her hair was still purple and her eyes were still ivory colored. He looked straight into her light and freaky eyes.

"You have heard from Xylander?" he asked.

She looked around the remains of the forest around them and walked over into the darkness only to point out something small and easily missed, there was a small bud trying to grow into a tree. Zale pressed his finger gently into the dirt around the bud and looked up at Sarafina, "He is attempting to return, he will be changed after the destruction of this place, you did not know but the drugs and returning home as forced a rebirth of Xylander."

"I didn't want that, despite the trouble he causes sometimes I didn't want that."

Sarafina pressed her small hand into Zale's shoulder and smiled, her lips barely darker than her cream toned skin. Thankfully he was used to seeing the strange bodies of Magis, they seemed unwilling to stay true to the human element that they were trying to emulate. "Even those of us who live immortal lives must every once in a while be reborn otherwise we can never grow. Give him time and be there for your father, help him work through the pain he is feeling."

"You know of it?" Zale asked.

"Of course, your magic touched him in a hurtful way. We have all been guilty of such things, just be there and be ready to remove the sliver as soon as Xylander is reborn into your mind and heart. Be ready to accept Xylander as a different creature and let go of the past, he will remember but he will not be the same as he was."

Zale nodded and leaned down to press his hand to the earth around the bud and hoped to know his friend was waking soon and not just for his Papa. He hated the silence in his own mind, had never had it from the time he was very young and though the things Xylander whispered and did behind his back were not always good, he'd always been there with Zale. He opened his eyes to find the bud had grown under his hand and he smiled. Zale took in a deep breath and released his mind from that tattered landscape to awaken to Zada's expectant look. Zale smiled, knowing there was an end to the mental silence and he was thrilled with the knowledge.


	17. Fighting Exhaustion

**Chapter Seventeen: Fighting Exhaustion**

After learning what he needed to do, Jack was constantly working through the depression he was desperate to get away from. He went to Zada and Zale's magical classes and spent time playing on the floor with the girls and sometimes he would just sit quietly with Johnny who kept his word to Daniel and continued to reach out to family and his mental abilities were getting stronger again. He was still seeking out Greer almost every day but then he sought out Daniel and Jack as well. That was all he'd asked of his son and Daniel was pleased with the changes.

From what Zale and Zada told him a couple days before, Xylander was coming back and hopefully he would come soon. Jack may have been doing so much better but Daniel could see how much acting normally around the kids took all his energy, making him exhausted by the time they climbed into bed at night.

This was by far the worst as he helped Jack to sit on the side of the bed, touching his chest and feeling the jackhammering of his husband's heart, "Come on Jack you need to try and calm your heartbeat."

Jack nodded as he sat there on the side of the bed, taking deep breaths in and out slowly. Daniel spent the minutes helping Jack to undress for bed and helping him into pajama pants and a t-shirt before he got dressed for bed as well. He pressed Jack down into the bed; his head resting on their pillows and Daniel sat down next to him and started rubbing his hands across Jack's shoulders and down his chest. He leaned down and pressed kisses along Jack's jaw, and down his nose before moving over his closed eyes and forehead then coming back down as Jack sighed happily. For some reason Daniel's lips and hands had been a constant comfort to Jack and Daniel was more than willing to touch if his husband needed it.

Of course he'd been doing a lot of touching and not getting a lot in return for weeks now so his showers doubled as alone time with his hand in recent days because his sexual frustration was getting to be ridiculous. Jack didn't need advances right now, he needed love and comfort and Daniel would be willing to give it until he was feeling more himself and when that happened Daniel was sending all of his children over to Aunt Sam's house or Uncle Adrian's because he was not letting Jack out of bed for at least several hours.

It was something to look forward to anyway.

Finally Jack's heart settled and he was slipping into sleep though Jack was clearly fighting the pull of exhaustion, "Just sleep Jack," Daniel whispered into the skin just below Jack's ear. He pressed another kiss there and watched as Jack slipped into sleep and he breathed a sigh of relief. Jack might be in the best physical condition for his age but the racing heart and exhaustion could very well cause a heart attack before they were ever able to get rid of the depression.

Daniel might have to speak to Jack about taking naps during the afternoon or something, maybe even limiting the amount of activities he did with the kids because all of it was getting to be to much for the older man Daniel had given his heart to so long ago.

He heard someone opening the door and turned to find all the kids crowding in around the bed, "What are you guys doing up and out of bed?"

"We wanted to help with Papa," Zale said, shuffling his bare feet across the carpeted floor.

"We can give him some energy, it would help," Claire responded quietly.

"You know how Papa feels about you guys using your powers to help him, he hates using you like that," Daniel reminded them, he felt the same way for the most part but Jack had gone back on those beliefs more than once to make sure Daniel would survive especially during the attacks on him in the past.

"We offer because we love him too Daddy, as much as you do," Zada said, all logical and hard to argue with so Daniel rolled his eyes at Jack's biological daughter and knew he couldn't say no to them. Claire and Zale were the first to clamber up on the bed and lay their hands on Jack. He watched as they settled into his side and Jack's body started to glow, undoubtedly with their healing abilities. Then Janet, Johnny and Zada climbed up and surrounded Daniel and Jack and all seven of them heaved a breath of relief and Daniel couldn't help the tear from slipping from his eye at the sight of his children doing as much as they could to keep Jack safe and alive. He wondered how the retired soldier could have ever doubted he was loved, this need to protect and save was all about love and had nothing to do with what Jack did or didn't do for them. Love wasn't about what the person was able to give it was about so much more than that, and Daniel was proud of the amazing feeling he knew they all felt for each other.

He settled in close to the children and pressed close to Jack where he could with children draped all over him and his husband and slipped into a deep sleep, warmed by the magical boost the children were giving Jack and he wondered with his last thought if they were giving him some as well. Then he just slipped away.

Time slipped by seemingly in an instant and an eternity before Daniel's eyes were slipping open again and was staring into the chocolate brown eyes of his eldest daughter and she smiled, "Morning Daddy," she whispered.

Daniel frowned, "Did you sleep in here baby?" he asked her.

Zada smiled and nodded, "We all did, you fell asleep when we were working on Papa and we all chose to stay with you."

Daniel smiled at his daughter and sat up a little to see that all the other children were still sleeping soundly and Jack wasn't glowing but his features were relaxed and rested for the first time in several weeks and Daniel couldn't helping being happy to see it. He settled back again in the bed and really looked at his eldest daughter. "How are you after everything?"

Zada nodded and smiled, "Its not the same and you guys told us that and I'm finding my way. Sir William and Lady Akina have been working with Zale and I, and talking to us about dealing with what happened to us."

"And?" Daniel asked, sucking in his breath knowing he needed to keep talking about this with all the children to help them deal with what happened and move on.

"And I know I couldn't stop them and I did what I could to get us and I have to accept that. I have accepted that for the most part and now that Johnny is opening up again I feel a lot better about everything."

Daniel pressed a hand into the back of Zada's neck and pressed his forehead to hers gently, "I'm glad baby."

"I love you Daddy," Zada whispered gently.

"I love you too sweetie but I think it's about time we started breakfast," Daniel responded and the two of them got out of bed and their movements started a chain reaction of waking everyone so the kids left Jack to sleep. Daniel grabbed his robe and belted it tightly as everyone filed out before he climbed across the large bed and pressed a kiss to the side of Jack's face. He walked out, closing the door and headed to the kitchen to start breakfast, letting Zada help cutting some fruit and Zale helped to cook a batch of eggs while Daniel cooked some breakfast meat for the whole family. Johnny was sitting at the table cutting slices of toast before he used a warmer then used some jam on the tops.

Daniel watched his kids working around him, listening to the girls as they started speaking in Latin quietly happy that he didn't even have to ask them to start their practice. They'd been working with Latin long enough that they didn't even need any help to translate and Daniel smiled. He always loved that all his children took so well to speaking different languages, Daniel knew that Jack spoke a couple secondary languages because of his time in the Special Forces but he didn't really want to trigger the unhappy memories that were attached by teaching the children to speak those languages and Jack didn't seem to think anything of it. Because of their fluency in Latin, Daniel had been trying to decide what to teach them next, he knew over twenty languages to pick from and didn't really know what he was planning on picking, he was thinking Arabic but wasn't completely sure yet. He'd been trying to give all of them and himself some time to move away from the emotional stuff of the kidnapping then Jack got hurt, so he hasn't pushed himself to choose but they were used to being challenged and he didn't want the children to become lax in their studies.

About the time he was serving up plates of food, thanking each child for their help getting breakfast prepared when Jack came down the hallway and into the kitchen with a sheepish smile on his face, "Why didn't anyone wake me?" he asked.

"Because you need sleep Jack," Daniel said gently and walked over to kiss his husband then led him to the table and placed a bowl of fruit loops down in front of Jack who hummed in happiness.

"You treat me so good Danny, I already had fruit loops this week."

"Well you still have plenty so have some today," Daniel said with a smile. He enjoyed the smile on Jack's face, knowing it would soon fade as the energy his children shared with him faded beneath the darkness but for now Daniel was going to enjoy his happy and alert Colonel Jack.


	18. Truly Awake

p class="MsoNormal"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"Chapter Eighteen: Truly Awake/strong/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"a name="OLE_LINK101"aa name="OLE_LINK100"/aspan style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"It happened a little at a time and then all at once. Zale could sense something just beneath the surface, picking at his thoughts and stealing them away. He didn't notice at first because he was too busy learning how to use his magic without Xylander, he spent all his time worrying about Papa Jack and hoping sometime when he rubbed a hand along his father's arm he would be able to pull that sliver Zale left inside his Papa. Then in one minute to the next, there he was inside his head. There was a scream, forcing Zale to his knees with a scream ripped from his throat that only echoed the voice in his mind. He pressed his fingers into the sides of his head as the scream continued on since the voice didn't have lungs or air inside that was required for a break in the sound./span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;""Zale, what's going on?" Daddy Daniel asked as he ran into the room from his office and reached out and wanted to hold Zale but he seemed to understand that Zale didn't want to be touched at the moment. That was the magic of Daddy Daniel, his ability to understand and do for others what was necessary even if it wasn't necessarily what he wanted.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;""Daddy, it hurts! He's screaming," Zale screamed and Daddy pressed a hand into the side of Zale's head and suddenly there was silence. Zale sighed and shoved his face into the warm skin of Daniel's neck, breathing in his Daddy's scent to settle his nerves.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;""What's happening Zale?" Daniel whispered into the boy's hair.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"Even as he was about to say something, there was a deep sigh inside his mind and a voice; Xylander's voice spoke for the first time in weeks, months even. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'Zale?'em/span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'Xylander?' emZale thought in response without speaking out loud. He gotten used to not needing to speak out loud when he was communicating with Xylander, other Vannas with awakened Magis sometimes couldn't respond without speaking out loud. /span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'It is I, Zale. I am so pleased to find myself awake once more. I hate that you were left behind for so long and you had to learn a way around my absence.'em/span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"Zale sighed, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'I need your help.'em/span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'I know, I am ready to seek out the pain caused by our power in your father Jack.' em/span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;""Where's Papa?" Zale finally asked Daddy Daniel.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;""He's taking a nap, what's going on?"span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;""Xylander is awake, he can help Papa."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"Daniel immediately got up off the floor and helped Zale and they rushed out of the room. Zale found himself standing in front of Papa Jack who was resting on the couch in the living room and he took a deep breath and sought out the soul that lived in his body as well. Xylander reached out to Zale as well and together they touched Jack's chest where his shirt allowed for skin-to-skin contact.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'I will find the sliver and then you shall need to help me remove it. You have been learning about projection, to know what you wish and then believe it will happen. It was your power, our power, that pushed the sliver into your Papa and so our magic is able to remove it easily.'em/span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"Zale nodded in answer though he didn't need to, Xylander knew his thoughts since the young boy had never been very good about separating himself from the Magis within. He focused instead on the Magis as it searched out the sliver and Zale gasped when he looked inside his father and saw the darkness it wrought on Papa Jack's soul. It was deep and multi layered, there were purple bruises in the midst of the darkness and angry reds as well. Xylander reminded him with a simply thought to bring Zale back to the task at hand. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the thought of the silver speck in the center of the swirling darkness and he reached out with his hands in his mind and gripped at it. It slid away, slippery and hard to grasp. He took a deep breath and before he could move forward with his power once more a gentle hand touched his physical body at the shoulder and he took a deep breath of the calm that washed over him at Daddy's touch. There were other hands grasping at him but he just used the calm they gave him and reached out with his magic with dogged determination to grip the sliver again and with his magic touching it he could feel what it was created of.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"This sliver didn't come out of nowhere, some strange pulse when Jack touched him and got a shock to the system. This was the pain and fear that Zale had been feeling without Xylander and after the kidnapping. This was a manifestation of the separation he and his siblings had put between them and their parents. This was Zale's emotions and they had latched onto Jack, and he knew suddenly that the only way to make it release was to let go of those feelings.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"And suddenly Zale took in a deep breath and let go of all those fears and the sliver melted away and Jack's body heaved a relieved sigh. Zale kept his hand on Papa for another moment, and felt as the sadness dissipated, there might have been problems before the sliver and they would still be there for Papa to deal with as he would but there wouldn't be a magical sadness that was just overtaking any happiness that Papa might find and tire him out every day.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'You did it Zale, you saved him.'em/span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'Because of you," emZale responded./span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'No, because you found what you needed and let go of the past.'em/span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"Zale opened his eyes, releasing the view inside his Papa, which was made possible by his Magis and powers. He was left looking into his Papa's surprised brown eyes and they were tearing and for a split second thought that he missed something then his father reached out and pulled him into a hug and spoke quietly, "Thank you Zale, thank you!" he smiled and hugged his Papa back as tightly as his little arms were capable of.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;""I'm sorry," he whispered.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"Jack jerked back and pressed his hands to Zale's cheeks and looked at him seriously, tears still clinging to his eyelashes, "Don't do that Zale, you didn't do it on purpose and you are doing everything you can to make sure it doesn't happen again, that's all a parent could ever ask for. That's all anyone could ever really ask for. I love you so much kiddo, no matter if you have a Magis or not, you are always going to be my little boy, my son."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"As Jack's words faded away into the room, Zale's vision blurred as tears tried to fall and he fell into Jack's chest again and sobbed away the sadness and the fear he'd been living with, the possibility that he wouldn't be in time to save Jack and he wished so many days, hours and minutes that Xylander would be back sooner rather than later and not because he necessarily wanted the Magis to survive but for this moment right here.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"He wondered if he's supposed to feel bad about that but at this point, Xylander seemed to be staying quiet and letting him be with his father and his family. As the tears finally fell away into whimpers and then silence Zale found himself sitting in Papa's lap and Daddy next to them, Johnny was in Daddy's lap with Zada and the twins around the rest of them.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"He locked eyes with Zada and gave a tremulous smile and it struggled to stay on his face but she seemed to understand, "Xylander has returned."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"Zada giggled, "That would be obvious brother mine."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"Zale smiled again, now it was easy and he hugged Papa again. "Are we going to sit here all day?"span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;""Actually," Daddy said and somehow someone knew of what happened because suddenly the front door was slamming open and people piled into the front room while the whole Jackson-O'Neill clan stared at Lady Akina, Sir William, and Uncle Adrian stumbled forward.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"Zale grin got even bigger, "Papa's fixed. Xylander has returned."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;""We are so pleased to hear Zale," Akina said with a gentle smile and there was nothing he could do but jump up and hug his teachers then his Uncle Adrian before he curled up against Jack once more. He had lessons today with his teachers, Daddy had lessons with Johnny and Greer but it seemed like no one was in any hurry to get up, at least until Erica showed up.span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;""All right, I am pleased that the biggest concern has been dealt with but that is not the only concern for Jack. I need to take him and look him over. I need to know if everything will continue to heal."span/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK100;"span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK101;"With a round of groans, loudest of all Zale and Daddy, they all got up from the couch and Erica led Papa into Daddy's office for some privacy which left Daddy with the opportunity to pull Zale close and cuddle him. Zale wrapped his arms around Daddy's neck and clung to him with a smile splitting his face. He'd done it, found the answer to a problem of his own making. Xylander may have been there and he will continue to do what he does but Zale found the strength to save his beloved Papa and there was no greater victory than that.span/span /p 


	19. Unbearable Wait

**Chapter Nineteen: Unbearable Wait**

Daniel spent the rest of the day sharing Jack with other people. He understood the kids who had known without being told how close they all came to lose Papa Jack but there was also Teal'c and Sam with their children, as well as Adrian and his family, Akina and her family. It was ridiculous and Daniel wanted to scream at them by the time dinner rolled around and they were feeding three families on top of his own and he so desperately wanted to kick everyone out and get some privacy with Jack.

During the time that Jack was struggling, it was probably the hardest thing Daniel had ever gone through, even his trauma after the wedding and the crap with the children because he'd watched Jack struggle with the concept of the emotional trauma he was dealing with, not just from the last couple of months but for years. He knew Jack could punch out any demon, any opponent but something that he physically couldn't fight then he struggled to deal with it.

So by the time the sun was setting, Daniel was taking dishes from people enthusiastically and putting them in the sink in the kitchen with more vigor than was absolutely necessary. Jack walked in around the corner and frowned at Daniel, "Are you okay?"

"I have missed you so much Jack," Daniel heaved a sigh and rubbed a hand over his face. "I just want to spend some time with you and me. No friends, no royalty, no kids, though I love them more than anything, I need you."

Jack gave a smart salute before he walked back, "Okay everyone's gotta go and who wants to go spend the night at Uncle Adrian's or Aunt Sam and Uncle Teal'c's house? Everyone must go for about a day and a half."

Daniel groaned, Jack never could do things subtly and then he was horribly pleased when Akina said she would take Johnny so he could spend time with Greer, they would also keep up training with Zale and Zada the next day and the Z-twins were going to Uncle Adrian's house and the girls were going home with Sam and Teal'c. When that was all decided, there was a thunder of footsteps as the children went upstairs to grab some things for sleep overs then Daniel took a deep breath and went out to thank everyone for coming and then to give kisses and hugs to each of the children before they left.

Then suddenly, Jack and Daniel were alone for the first time in far too long to remember. They'd never even had a honeymoon because of what happened with Henry so they stood in the living room staring at each other, Daniel was suddenly frozen where he stood and Jack just stayed still as well.

He didn't know why all of a sudden he wanted to just stay still, to curl up in Jack's arms and sleep. Jack smiled a little and walked across the quiet room and pressed a gentle callused hand into Daniel's cheek and moved in close to press his lips to Daniel's open sighing mouth. Daniel smiled a little but then Jack moved back and pulled Daniel along towards their bedroom then he let go of Daniel to move into the bathroom where Daniel listened as the water turned on and he shuffled around in the room for a few minutes before Jack came back and motioned to Daniel and he followed his husband and immediately started removing his clothes. Jack was doing the same, showing his fit body. Daniel was constantly amazed that this place had been responsible for keeping Jack in the best physical condition, he still had defined muscles though they were a little softer in older age but when he dropped his shorts, one part of him wasn't soft and Daniel grinned a little as Jack climbed into the bathtub and then invited Daniel to sit in front of him.

Daniel sighed happily when he was pressed up against Jack's chest; he was pleased to just have some time together. He leaned his head back into Jack's shoulder, "I'm going to be okay Danny."

The words were whispered into the side of Daniel's head, just above his ear. Daniel smiled, "Thank god though I want you to know that just because you're not dealing with this anymore that you don't have to go back to being my strong and silent and silly Jack O'Neill?"

Jack nodded against the side of Daniel's head, "I know Danny and I am going to keep going to Erica, we talked about a once a week kind of thing and I want to keep up with the time I have been spending with the kids but you know who hasn't been getting enough TLC and I wish I could slap myself in the head for—is you Danny."

Daniel huffed a laugh, "Jack, you were doing the best you could. I don't blame you for anything you had to do, even if part of that was a little bit of husband neglect."

"Danny, you are not supposed to be my last obligation, you are my beautiful Danny and I need you to know that is always going to be true. I think I am going to spend the next couple of days proving it to you."

"You don't have to prove anything to me," Daniel said even as Jack reached around him and started rubbing soap into his skin, Daniel just let Jack do whatever he wanted which apparently consisted of rubbing Daniel down and rinsing the soap from his body gently and Daniel was quickly reminded that he hadn't been with Jack in way to long. After they relaxed in the tub for a time, when the water started to cool they got out and started drying each other just inside the door to their bedroom. Daniel took Jack's hand and they started moving towards the bed, dropping the towels close to the bathroom door.

Daniel sat down on the side of the bed and slid across the covers until he was splayed out and Jack was pressing down on the bed next to him. Jack's hands immediately went to stroking across any scrap of skin that was available which was every part right now. Daniel didn't move, letting Jack run the show for now. All he wanted was for his husband to touch him and he was getting that in spades, finally.

And it was worth the wait.

Jack stroked his hands up his legs and over his hips, across his stomach and up over his chest. Daniel just focused on the tingles left behind by Jack's fingers and palms then after a time, his lips and tongue joined the game leaving Daniel a panting sensitive mess. Jack was always good at writing poetry in the bedroom, even if he couldn't on paper and Daniel was quickly reminded how much he loved to be touched by the older man. He moaned quietly, "Come on Jack, please stop teasing."

Jack whispered into the skin of Daniel's hip, "I love to tease you Danny but I suppose we could move this on." With that, Jack's mouth settled over Daniel's leaking erection and he moaned at the hot cavern that surrounded him. Daniel shouted a little at the contact he hadn't experienced in far too long and almost came from the pleasure. Jack placed pressure at the base of his cock to keep him from coming and Daniel groaned in annoyance and relief at the same time. He was so wound up this was not going to be the first orgasm of the night but he didn't want it to happen so quickly.

"Relax and let go Danny, we have all night," Jack whispered before he took Daniel's length in his mouth again and then with a little spit and come Jack pressed a finger into Daniel's hole and he came with a shout, panting breaths as Jack moved away from his soft member and climbed up even with Daniel's face. He smiled to Jack, pressing his fingers into Jack's cheek and touched his red and wet lips.

"You amaze me Colonel Jack," Daniel whispered in between deep breaths.

"That's General O'Neill to you buddy," Jack said in mock seriousness.

Daniel chuckled then shoved at Jack shoulder until he was lying flat on the bed, Daniel took his time rubbing down Jack's skin and kissing as much as he could. He gripped the lube from the nearby drawer and spread a little over one of his hands and wrapped his fingers and hand around Jack's burgeoning cock and the older man's hips bounced a little in response. Daniel held him down as he lapped at the tip of Jack's cock where his hand wasn't pressed into Jack's sensitive skin. Jack pressed a hand into Daniel's hair though not hard enough to be construed as restraining, something that Jack did not do in the bedroom because of what happened less than a year before but also because Jack didn't like restraints in the bedroom.

Daniel sucked at the tip of Jack's cock one more time then Jack pulled him away gently, "I don't know how many times I'm gonna last Danny and I want to be inside you when it happens."

Daniel pressed another kiss to Jack's cockhead and then slipped the lube into Jack's hand and he moved up Jack's body then turned around so Jack could prep him. He pressed his forehead into the bed next to Jack's leg and panted as his cock was full and aching once more, his recovery time was still quite good no matter how old he might be though Jack was right, when he was tired it took time for Jack to bounce back. He ached for the feel of Jack's cock inside him, locking them together in pleasure. He waited through the slow and sensual stretch of one finger then two, then three before Jack finally pulled away and moved Daniel to lay down on the bed again on his back and moved between Daniel's wide spread thighs.

Daniel placed his hands on Jack's slim hips as the older man leaned down and took Daniel's lips in another kiss. Daniel settled into the warmth and passion of the kiss as Jack sank into his body one little movement at a time. Jack rolled his hips, bringing them closer and closer together all the while Jack just kept on kissing and caressing Daniel's mouth and skin.

Then after a ridiculous amount of time, Jack bottomed out inside of him and Daniel groaned into Jack's open mouth. His fingers tightened imperceptibly on the older man's tapered hips and gasped as Jack's hips rolled just a little again, "Move it Jack. I want it all."

Jack grinned against his lips, "You got it Danny." Daniel gasped when Jack pulled back then thrust into Daniel, starting a rhythm meant to send Daniel over the edge in short order. Daniel's hand wrapped around Jack's shoulder and upper back while one of his legs moved around to grip the back of Jack's legs and greeted Jack's hips thrust for thrust. Jack's cock felt so hot and right being inside Daniel and then it started rubbing against his prostrate and Daniel gasped at the unbridled pleasure of being together again with no distractions.

"You can do it Danny," Jack murmured against his mouth. Jack reached down with one hand and started jerking Daniel's aching cock between his slick fingers and there was nothing holding back the pleasure that seemed to big for Daniel's body. With a sloppy kiss shared between them and a couple of jerking thrusts of hips and hands, Daniel came across his chest and Jack's stomach before Jack shouted and came as well, painting Daniel's channel with his come but he didn't stop thrusting till he was completely done and Daniel was left twitching from the undeniable pleasure and satiation left behind.

Jack pulled out gently after several minutes of panting and cool down, he walked over to the bathroom unabashed about his nudity to bring back a damp washcloth which he used to clean them both before Jack settled down beside Daniel on the bed, wrapping himself around the younger man. Daniel pressed his head into Jack's neck and settled in to sleep, they had time enough for a nap before another round which Daniel was determined to get.

For now though sleeping with Jack and knowing his spouse wasn't about to kill himself was the best gift he could imagine having at this moment, besides the dull ache from really good sex and the smile on Jack's mouth, Daniel heaved a sigh and easily fell asleep.

Jack woke in the early morning light to Daniel's nose pressed into his collarbone gently snuffling into his skin and being aroused by the close proximity of his husband, so he reached over and grabbed the lube from the side table and reached down between his own legs and pressed the tip of his finger into the skin around his hole. He used his fingers to gently stretch himself then pressed another finger inside and scissored them gently. He moaned, imagining that it was Daniel instead helping him stretch his channel then he added a third slick finger and lightly brushed his prostrate and knew he was done waiting, surprised that Daniel hadn't been woken up by Jack's muttered gasps and groans. He gathered more lube and wrapped a slick palm around Daniel's cock, which was already hard, and then he climbed over Daniel's waist and pressed slowly down on Daniel's cock, which woke his husband quickly.

"Jack!" Daniel gasped brokenly as his blue eyes snapped open and locked on the retired soldier on top of him.

"Just let me make you happy Danny," Jack whispered into the air between them.

"You always do," Daniel muttered back as his hand reached out and Jack pressed his palm close and held Daniel's hand gently between them. Jack set a quick rhythm since undoubtedly this wasn't going to take long and he really wanted it now.

He bounced and rolled his hips, searching out the sweet glide against his prostrate and Daniel gave little thrusts of his hips on Jack's every down thrust and Jack did what he always did when Daniel was inside him. Jack watched Daniel's reaction to the sensation, it was one of the best reasons he ever did this, there was pleasure for him as well obviously but so much more pleasure for Jack came from the look of ecstasy on Daniel's face and in his gasping breaths. Jack kept up his rhythm all the while taking in the shaking in Daniel's hands as he pressed his palms into Jack's thrusting hips. He leaned down and pressed a hand into Daniel's chest and one of his lover's hands slipped down to take Jack's cock into his hand and with a shuddered gasp Jack came all over Daniel's chest and as his hole tightened spastically around Daniel's cock, the younger man grunted and came as well. Jack grinned, knowing the wrecked look in Daniel's eyes to be the highest of compliments. He gently moved off of Daniel's flagging cock and settled down next to the panting man.

Daniel immediately turned towards Jack and they pressed close and decided to sleep a little longer.


	20. One Day

**Chapter Twenty: One Day**

Daniel woke again, sticky and tired and pleasantly sore. He sat up in bed, rubbing his hands over his face before looking back to see Jack still sleeping so he got up and walked back to the bathroom and took care of his morning routine and showered quickly before he walked back to the bedroom then out the door towards the kitchen. He figured the best way to start this day already happened, waking up to Jack sliding down on his cock was something Daniel didn't get to experience very often because Daniel loved taking Jack's cock and he loved the feeling of being filled so completely and Jack wasn't as much of a fan and that was okay but every once in a while it was a pleasure to take Jack the way the Colonel had taken Daniel so many times.

So he decided to make some breakfast, sticking to a simple pancake recipe as well as sausage and eggs. He served it all on a platter which he took back to the bedroom to find Jack sitting up in bed and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He caught sight of Daniel and smiled, "Whatcha got there Danny?"

"Some breakfast, want to enjoy it in bed today?" Daniel asked, they did breakfast in bed maybe four times a year, on their 'birthdays' and 'father's day' which just happened to fall during certain times of the year but they were decided on by Daniel and Jack in advance so they could plan for childcare of whatever. Jack smiled in response and Daniel climbed back into bed and settled close to his spouse and they enjoyed the breakfast in companionable silence. When the platter of food was demolished and Jack was just watching Daniel drink up the last of his coffee with one of his Jack-smiles on his face. Daniel placed all the breakfast utensils back on the floor next to the bed before he turned back over and Jack was quickly pulling him close and tucked Daniel's head into his shoulder.

"Shouldn't we be more concerned about getting our children back today?" Daniel whispered into Jack's lips.

Jack groaned comically, "You sure know how to wreck the mood Danny."

Daniel laughed, "You know if we leave our babies with those people for too long they might not give them back."

Jack sighed, placing his hand to his head, "We should go save them now Danny."

With a roll of his eyes Daniel tucked his head back into Jack's shoulder and the soldier resettled on the pillows and laid still. They allowed the stillness of their home to wash over them, and Daniel didn't like the quiet anymore. It only meant that their children weren't with them. Daniel smiled at the thought that he needed his children almost as much as he needed Jack. He figured that was the right way so he wasn't too concerned after all.

"Zale's going to be okay, Greer is going to be okay too. Zada is doing better, thankfully. Jack we're all going to be okay."

Jack nodded against his shoulder, "I never had a doubt that your children were going to overcome what was happening."

"What? You didn't think the same about yourself? Don't be stupid Jack," Daniel said into his husband's chest. He moved to press his lips into the skin under Jack's collarbone gently. The gentle touches had Jack sighing happily and they just stayed quiet and together.

The day passed like that, in quiet happiness. They shared a shower together after Jack was insistent that Daniel still needed one and they ended up fooling around in there as well before they dressed and headed out into the main part of the house. Then Daniel decided that they should go out and do something together so they grabbed swim trunks from their room and a couple of towels before they headed to the falls set behind the castle through a short walk in the woods. It didn't take too long to get there and Daniel shucked the rest of his clothes and dived into the deep pool. Jack followed quickly and they spent the afternoon playing together like children. Taking turns dunking each other under the water and just laughing.

It was a good day, like any other before and after the kids. There was no difference for Daniel and Jack because happiness was having their children with them. Happiness was all seven of them being together, this one day was only important because of all the struggle they'd had recently. Daniel hadn't needed a break from his children because half the day he'd spent it thinking about going and getting them back. This one day had only ever been about being a husband first for a short time, reminding himself that what Jack and he had was something worth all the fear and the fighting, it was worth the struggle and now that some of the emotional stuff was settling, they could find their footing again and that's all this was.

Daniel needing Jack like he'd always needed the man. He'd needed Jack from the beginning, first he needed his friend to survive, then he'd wanted Jack to be okay then he'd fallen for him and it was about doing what was best for Jack then they came here. Everything that followed had been more than Daniel had ever dared to hope for so all the other crap that happened along the way, still worth it just to be a part of Jack's life.

After relaxing in the sun to dry themselves, Jack and Daniel redressed and left the falls, thinking they should bring the kids here and share it with them. Daniel knew sometimes he forgot the kids needed to play as much as they needed to learn. Their magical training was desperately important but so was getting to be a kid.

"Can we get Johnny first?" Daniel asked as they walked back towards the castle. Jack grinned and pulled Daniel close to his side and pressing his lips to the side of Daniel's head.

"You are ridiculously excited to see your children Dr. Jackson, its really hot."

Daniel rolled his eyes, "You think all sorts of weird things are hot."

"Only with you," Jack grinned.

"Please can we go get them, everyone has had them all day and I want us to be together tonight for dinner."

"Yeah yeah, I guess the second honeymoon is over."

Daniel snorted, "Jack, I promise you if you're quiet later, we'll have some more honeymoon."

Jack grunted and readjusted himself at that thought before they made it back to the castle and walked inside and headed straight for the throne room which was where Akina usually hung out during the day so her people knew where to find her if anything needed her attention. Daniel remembered when they first got here how quiet the throne room always was but that was not the way it was usually found anymore, since Akina and her sister and brother all had children, many of the their closest friends had children as well the throne room was a place of controlled chaos with anywhere from ten to twenty kids always running around inside the large room.

Daniel looked around the room, looking for his youngest son and finally caught sight of Johnny and Greer using sign language together in the corner and Akina and William were teaching Zale and Zada nearby. Daniel frowned, thinking that they would have been done by now, he would have to double check before they whisked the Z-twins away because their magical studies were incredibly important to maintain. Then as if their children knew that Jack and Daniel were in the room, all three of them looked up and smiled. Daniel couldn't help but smile back at them before a chorus of 'Daddy! Papa' rang through the room and all three children were on their feet and rushing across the distance that separated them and Daniel caught Johnny in his arms while Jack leaned down to catch Zale and Zada before they leaned over to kiss and hug their other children. Daniel squeezed Johnny tightly for a second and he was so pleased to watch his youngest son smiling at them without the reservation of the last couple weeks.

Daniel had missed his ever-optimistic child.

"Can we come home please!?" Zale was shouting as Daniel watched his eldest son bouncing on the floor in front of them.

"That's why we're here, did you have fun with Uncle Adrian?" Daniel asked.

The twins chorused a happy, "Yes."

"Did you finish your session with the queen and king?" Daniel questioned even as he nodded to Lady Akina who was walking over to them.

"They have, we were just doing some extra training since Johnny and Greer were playing here and Adrian is spending some time in the field for me today."

"Is he okay?" Jack asked.

"Of course Jack, he has always been one of my sneakiest operatives," Akina responded which honestly wasn't an answer to Jack's question. Just because someone had all the right skills in the field didn't mean they were going to be okay but Jack understood that as well. Daniel was left with an almost choking sensation of relief that Jack wasn't working so much with Akina anymore because as Queen, it was everyone's job and responsibility to do what she wished and though she always put herself in just as much danger it did not change the fact that most of the time she had to look at the big picture instead of the personal losses. If Jack continued to work for her, the soldier sooner or later would have ended up in a situation that he couldn't see his way of out and Daniel and the kids would have to continue on without him. Daniel reached out and took one of Jack's hands, pleased that the older man had already walked away from that dangerous job and he wasn't going to kill himself because of the depression. Daniel would just have to hold on to that for however long it lasted.

"Well we shall see you tomorrow for lessons?" Daniel asked as he put Johnny down so the little boy could hug Greer and say goodbye before the five of them headed out, back towards their home, which still shared a backyard area with Teal'c and Sam who had their daughters.

The walk home was filled with happy kid chatter and Jack's hand warm and comforting around Daniel's, swinging between them as Johnny held Jack's other hand. Daniel let the twins talk at him, knowing that they would carry on the conversation all by themselves unless he asked a question which he didn't feel the need. He was just enjoying their presence.

As they walked up to the front door of their home sending the twins on through to the back to get Janet and Claire, Jack pulled Daniel to a stop and released Johnny's hand who just stopped and waited for his fathers.

Daniel smiled, staring at Jack's expression of wonder, "What?" he finally asked.

"I love you Danny, thank you for filling my life and home with happiness."

Daniel was about to answer when he heard a shout of surprise from inside, shared a worried look with Jack and they all burst through the front door to take on whatever greeted them. Only to stand in awe and confusion of what they found.


	21. Surprise Guest

**Chapter Twenty-One: Surprise Guest**

Daniel stopped at the sight of Jack's dad, Ben standing in the middle of the room surrounded by all five children. Daniel didn't know how they passed him to get to Janet and Claire unless his arrival happened afterwards which seemed entirely possible after living with magic for ten years. Daniel instinctively looked around for Greer, to see if the little boy maybe thought this was some sort of strange peace offering.

"Ben?" Daniel demanded before he focused on the other man standing next to the older man.

"Dad?" Jack shouted in shock before he walked over and hugged the older man. Daniel kept his eyes on the well muscled man with his hands folded demurely in front of him and his hair was wild all over the place with straw mixed into it making it all seem fake. His clothes were pastel colored rags that showed scraps of skin here and there but still somehow made him appear otherworldly but also someone to be trusted.

Which meant that Daniel didn't really trust it.

"Who are you? How did you get here and how did you get Ben here? Where are his wife and family? What have you done?" Daniel shouted the words at the creature in front of them and as he focused his kind eyes on Daniel the archeologist suddenly realized why he looked sort of familiar. Though it had happened over thirteen years ago for Daniel so his memory was a little more filled up with magical whose-its from the Vannas world.

"I am called Nafrayu, you knew me when I was very young in my development. I was a boy among others, you were saved by us when you died in a fight against Apophis."

Daniel stared at him in shock and final recognition, "You're a Nox!"

Jack was watching the whole exchanged and slapped his head in realization, "Of course. What are you doing here? How did you find us?"

"I would be pleased to share with you the knowledge that I can but may your father be seated, he is in good health but humans do not age as easily as the Nox do."

Daniel immediately rushed to Ben and hugged the older man before he tucked him into the couch, "Pop, what's going on here?" he asked the man quietly.

Ben took a deep breath and turned to his son and Daniel just knew something bad was coming especially when Ben took Jack's hand gently and pulled the retired soldier to sit down next to him on the other side. "What happened?"

Ben sighed, "Your mother and I have been having so much trouble that she decided to go and stay with Sarah and her father, and she ended up leaving me for him. They bonded or something stupid."

Jack frowned, "What?"

"Yeah, I was alone and this Nox person went through the SGC and told them they had a way of bringing me to you. I have sadly perished in our time and the Nox were able to bring me here to you now. Can you believe it Jack?"

Jack stared at his father in surprise, shaking his head in answer. Daniel turned to Nafrayu, "Is this true? You guys don't really believe in doing things like this?"

The young man flushed a little, making his clothes look even paler in comparison. "I have acted of my own free will and possibly against the will of my people to do this for you as well as your father."

Daniel frowned, "Doesn't that mean that one of your people could come and take him at any time?"

"Possibly," Nafrayu stated in a calm voice, all the while Ben and Jack's eyes were widening in surprise. Daniel wanted to roll his eyes, Jack might be an incredible tactician but sometimes he was just so silly and didn't think of the things that Daniel may consider the important questions to be asking. He didn't really believe in accepting gift horses without first knowing the reason.

Nafrayu spoke after another moment of surprised silence, "I believe they will not attempt to use the other time devices as we do not enjoy using such a skill. I found you here in this time and knew that for all you did for my people and others, you deserved to have family with you here. Your father was declining physically and unhappy after the loss of his mate, so I took a time device and brought him here to you."

Daniel nodded and stared at Nafrayu who just stayed still next to the couch. There apparently was nothing to say and Daniel wasn't all that surprised since the Nox were all a reticent group of people. He decided the best thing to do was ignore the other man and focus on Ben. Daniel hugged the older O'Neill again before he stared at his father-in-law, "How much time has gone by for you in your time?"

"Was coming up on two years," Ben answered, "That's where I was taken from. Henry is still serving in jail, now considered complicit in the fact that you ran away Daniel, they think during his time out of jail he did something to you and I let them think that because I supposedly didn't know anything about your disappearance and try to prove whatever they wanted to. Marcus and his family are fine and your mother is apparently as happy as a clam and I'm happy to be here with all of you for as long as I have left."

Jack gasped at his father's matter of fact tone, like his immediate death was inevitable no matter what world and magic was around him. Daniel knew for a fact that with the Vannas, they would be able to alleviate some of the problems but it didn't stop old age and death. They would just see how long Ben was going to be with them as long as they didn't have other Nox or someone else coming back to take him away again.

Daniel turned back to Nafrayu, "Are you going to stay long?" he asked, curious about the man's presence.

Nafrayu gives a quick enigmatic smile and shook his head, "I wish to not alert the others to my continuous absence otherwise they will wonder what I have been doing. I would rather they stay unsure of my actions for you and Ben's benefit."

Daniel nodded and Nafrayu gives a quick nod, touched Ben's shoulder before he disappeared to which a few of the children were intrigued but not overly much because they grew up in magic but Ben was staring in a bemused look. As soon as the Nox was gone the children were jumping all around, telling Ben what had been happening in his absence, they talked about Jack being sick and Ben turned sharply at that and looked to his son for clarity. Jack and the children told him the story and they shared what they'd been doing to deal with the trauma and getting back to normal. Daniel just watched as the children talked and Ben listened. Daniel was soon getting up and fixing dinner, hoping they would wind down enough to sleep but then again he might just have to let them stay up late with their Grandpapa. It had been a while since they saw him and everyone had said goodbye all that time ago with the intention of never getting to see each other again.

Daniel was willing to deal with late nights and tired kids the next day because he too wanted to continue spending time with his father-in-law.


	22. Meeting Pop

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Meeting Pop**

Jack woke up to an empty bed and a rowdy kitchen and he smiled, so happy that he didn't have to fight to feel happy. He stretched gently, and listened to the low voices of his children speaking in stuttering stops and starts and Jack tilted his head, wondering if Daniel had started them on a new language, they were to good at Latin and Spanish for the way they were speaking now. He could also hear the low tones of Daniel and his father. Jack sat up and turned to look over at the other side of the bed and found his robe laid out with a small note on Daniel's pillow. He frowned then picked it up, reading:

**Good morning my love, come join us for breakfast when you wake. So glad to have you back with me once more.**

**Yours Always, Danny**

Jack stroked the ink on the old paper, Daniel loved to leave Jack notes, especially during the times when they were both working opposite shifts. He always loved that about Daniel, the younger man's wonderful care and consideration for Jack and their children. Jack grabbed his robe, wrapping it around himself then grabbed the scrap of paper and walked into the closet and dragged out the wood box and slipped the paper into it. He kept a lot of the slips and letters, notes that were proof of the love they shared. It may be hokey and stupid and Daniel always gave him this little knowing smile whenever Jack pulled out the box but he never made fun of Jack for it, yet another reason to love Daniel Jackson.

After the letter was stowed away, Jack made sure his robe was belted and walked out of the bedroom and into the kitchen where Daniel was sitting at the table, writing something then speaking quietly until he saw Jack's movement out of the corner of his eye and looked up to grin at Jack. "There is breakfast left for you."

Jack grinned in return, moving over to kiss Daniel quickly, "Thanks dear."

The kids snickered at their exchange and Jack moved to the counter where he grabbed his plate and started stuffing his face as delicately as he should in the presence of his impressionable children and his father who was sitting across from Daniel, listening to the learn going on around him.

"Morning Jackie Boy," his father said joyously.

Jack waved a little to his father before speaking to his husband, "Whatcha doin Danny? That's not Latin anymore is it?"

"The Latin is fluent now, we've moved on to Arabic," Daniel said without looking up. Jack nodded and continued eating. He enjoyed listening to Daniel teach, it used to bother him when Daniel would get up and throw down all this ridiculous knowledge that just made Jack feel dumb in the presence of someone like Daniel and Sam as well. They were both way smarter than he was but Daniel was different, he was unique among the brains that Jack had known. So now when he had the chance to hear Daniel's soothing tone as he corrected or clarified rules of tenses and whatever, it was a joy now. It was an especially beautiful sight when the person he was teaching was their children.

"Why Arabic?" Ben asked Daniel.

Daniel shrugged, "It's a beautiful language and I don't want it to die, first with the children then I will offer it to others as well. I wish to continue what I've been doing for ten years with the Vannas, give them history and language and now that the kids are doing better, maybe I can get back to that."

Jack nodded, "Of course Danny, you were always happiest when you were teaching someone. I can be here now Danny, I'm not going anywhere."

Daniel nodded and without another word went back to teaching Arabic to the kids for another fifteen minutes before he sent them to their room to get dressed and ready for the day. Jack knew that their simplistic schedule was still going on, training for Zada and Zale, teaching with Greer and Johnny and the girls would spend some of the day in the house with Jack and some with Sam and their family or Uncle Adrian and his. Jack was sure if Daniel's schedule was going to change again, so was everyone else's schedule. The abbreviated schedule had also had some much to do with the kids dealing with the trauma and then Jack getting depressed, he was hoping all of them would be able to get back to normal.

Daniel stood from the table slowly and he came over to the counter and started cleaning up the dishes from breakfast and Jack watched as his dad watched them, "You okay Pop?" Jack asked.

Ben retained that wistful look on his face, "I'm good Jack, really good. I know its hard to understand the concept of leaving behind one part of the family for another but I knew in my heart that I needed you and that maybe you needed me for a little bit longer. I wanted to really spend the time learning who my grandchildren are and you know how much I love Danny."

Ben winked at Jack who grinned as he looked over to Daniel who was blushing a bright color as he continued washing the dishes. Jack leaned over and pressed his lips to the side of Daniel's head in a gentle kiss, "Yeah I totally get that."

Daniel shoved him gently, bashful all of a sudden as he finished up the dishes and dried his hand. "So Lady Akina should be on her way here with Greer so she can meet you Ben, its going to take some getting used to, this place is run by magic and warrior strength. Jack has earned the respect of the warriors here but sometimes they have to push boundaries on whether or not he can protect us."

"You know how to fight Daniel, why don't you show them as well?" Ben asked.

Daniel shrugged, "I don't want people to know everything we are capable, I trust many of these people but someone without power and fighting capabilities is someone to be overpowered, so I use my intellect to become irreplaceable which has kept me safe for much of the ten years we've been here. Plus Lady Akina has a soft spot for me, well all of us really."

"It's mostly you Danny," Jack said with a wink.

Daniel snorted inelegantly at that.

"Why is it that Daniel is always surprised that people like him?" Ben asked with a slight frown on his face and Jack could see the smirk playing at the edges of his smile but he tried very hard not to laugh while Daniel shook his head and tried to ignore them both.

"Forget this, I already have quite a few O'Neill's under this roof, you're going to have to go back to the past Ben," Daniel said as he walked out of the kitchen. Jack and Ben shared some quiet snickering behind his husband's back before he slapped his father's back companionably.

"He doesn't mean it Pop," Jack said with a small laugh.

"Oh I know Jackie, Daniel loves you and me too almost as much as he loves all those Jackson-O'Neill's you got running around this house."

Jack nodded and settled at the table with his father, "If you can believe it Pop, I'm really glad you're here. Not because I need your help with anything even though I might but I think the kids needs a little bit more uncomplicated family around here."

Ben reached over and touched Jack's arm gently, "What happened to you Jack?" he asked.

"Something bad with Zale, I ended up depressed and they were all fighting to keep me going. Daniel has been going non-stop, basically a single dad again only he was taking care of me too. Johnny had been completely withdrawn and Zale and Zada were drowning in sadness and guilt. Its getting better for sure but we don't even see much of Sam, Teal'c and the kids anymore because I think they hold our children responsible for having to come back here."

Ben nodded slowly as if he was slowly thinking all that over then he just gave Jack an awkward side-hug, "I think you're going to be just fine Jackie, you and that amazing husband of yours."

Jack shoved his Dad a little as he revived the standing joke between him and his father, "You can't have him Pop!"

Ben threw his head back and laughed then stopped when Daniel walked back in, giving them both a silly little glare. "Akina is going to be here soon with Greer and William. Are you going to keep the girls here for now?"

Jack nodded, "Yeah for now."

Daniel nodded then walked out to the living room when there was a knock on the front door, Jack got up and walked over to lean against the side of the kitchen doorway to see who was arriving as well as place a barrier between whoever and his father. Daniel opened the door and there was the King and Queen, Greer as well as Adrian, DK and their two children and Jack frowned, "What's going on here?"

Adrian grinned, "You think you can sneak someone into a magical world without people knowing about it. You're lucky its just us, everyone is intrigued to meet the father of Jack O'Neill."

Jack rolled his eyes and moved aside as his father came out of the kitchen and started the introductions. Daniel gives each person's name as well as their position in the Vannas class structure and the importance to Jack and Daniel's personal life as well. Jack just sat down on the couch and listened as people asked questions of his father, the time he came from and what Jack was like before he came to the Vannas world.

He watched and waited and then Johnny came down and grabbed Greer by the hand and instead of running away with his best friend Jack's youngest sat down next to his Papa and the little boy just watched all the people around him. Jack pressed a hand around Johnny's shoulder and pulled Greer close as well. Jack had learned during his talks with Erica to let go of all the anger and resentment he'd had about the boy. He was Johnny's best friend and Jack was learning to be okay with that, even happy that his youngest son was so close to someone. Everyone needed a friend outside the family.

His Pop was apparently a hit with everyone and soon they were all settled around the room while the royal couple started their lesson with Zada and Zale. Janet and Claire were coloring on the floor next to Ben so he could watch their progress and Jack stayed on the couch until Daniel came in from his office and nodded to Greer and Johnny. The little boy hopped up off the couch then without waiting, turned to hug Jack tightly and he sighed into the loving contact. His breath stuttered a little when he felt the warm flow of love seeping into his skin from Johnny's contact and he smiled a little. Johnny had been getting better, talking to them more and more but it was hard to deny that he missed this more than the little boy's words in his mind. He missed knowing to the depths of Johnny's heart that his son loved him.

Then Johnny pulled away and moved to hug Ben as well and Jack watched that dopey happy look cross his father's face and knew Ben was getting the same treatment. Then Johnny ran off to join Daniel and Greer, the youngest Jackson-O'Neill loved being with Daniel when he was teaching Greer and since he didn't bother them Daniel allowed it. Jack figured if Johnny continued to focus on just Greer, Jack would talk to Daniel about changing things up.

"That's a pretty spectacular kid you got there, they all are," Ben said quietly.

Jack grinned, "Yeah they are, has a lot to do with the fantastic Daddy they have."

"I don't think you're such a slouch though Jack," Ben said.

Jack shrugged and knew his Pop was right, the therapy with Erica had done a lot for him and one of the things was accepting that all of his kids were his as much as they were Daniel's children. He knew that he'd done everything he could for his children and was showing up for them as best he can now. Jack knew that now and didn't have to be told though he tended to give Daniel a lot of credit most of the time because Daniel was awesome.

"Yeah Pop neither were you, I can't believe you gave up normal and the rest of the family for us."

Ben nodded, "I didn't know my family anymore Jack, your mom turned into someone that I couldn't be okay with anymore and then on top of it she went behind my back and cheated on me with Sarah's father. I couldn't believe after all we'd been through together that she would just give up and leave me like that. I didn't know she was capable of such a thing. She wasn't the woman I married anymore."

Jack nodded, "I never knew she was capable of the kind of hatred and bitterness she always poured out all over Daniel. And she would have done anything to keep Janet, Claire and Zale out of her home and life. Daniel and I did everything we could to never let them think they were one of our kids or the other, they always belonged to both of us."

"You did good Jackie," Ben said with a grin.

"Because Papa is the best Papa ever," Janet said from the floor with a high-pitched giggle, not even pausing in her coloring to say it.

"Oh yeah, what about Daddy?" Jack asked as he winked at his Pop.

"He's the best Daddy around," Claire responded and there was a clear 'duh' attached to the end of the statement. Ben chuckled at that; it wasn't the first time any of the kids had told that joke. He was really happy to have his father here, it made everything a little clearer, that he was needed and above all else he was loved by this little family of his.

That was the best possible life to be a part of.


	23. Business of Living

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Business of Living**

Ben enjoyed the show, he thought as he watched his son and his family working through the day to day of life. He hadn't seen much of the world here so far but the small world inside the Jackson-O'Neill household was enough of a joy to be a part of for now. He wasn't lying when he told Jack that he wanted to be here, that he'd suffered at the hands of his wife's selfishness. He shook off the thought for now and enjoyed watching Jack and Daniel move around each other as if they were dancing.

Ben had now spent many days watching Daniel recommit to a half teaching schedule and Jack spent his days working with their children with the help of the royal couple and so much of Jack's time was spent playing with his children. It was something Ben had never gotten to see his son do with Charlie. It make Ben happy, so deliriously happy to know his son was living this life no matter how weird it was because of the magic.

And the magic, Daniel and Jack had given Ben the download of what this world was like and he'd sat still in wonder and a fair helping of cautious curiosity. He knew all the children were capable of interesting things, sharing their emotions with other people. Zale and Zada were definitely children to watch, Ben couldn't help but look at Zale a little differently when he learned the kind of power that kid was capable of but then again, he was such a sweet boy. The girls were young and sweet, Claire was a healer already but Daniel and Jack were trying to keep her from using her abilities very often and he could understand that, she was such a little thing and always trying to help even when maybe she shouldn't.

Daniel and Jack stopped in the midst of their cooking dance to kiss gently and Ben watched as the kids snickered and made cooing noises at their fathers and Ben couldn't help but smile because he knew what that was, he'd had it once.

He'd believed in the love he shared with his wife but this, the love that Jack shared with Daniel was something to behold and protect and now Ben would do anything to help them. He knew what the children felt for their Grandpapa because of the empathy they were capable of and he loved that they felt that for him, now he would have a chance to perpetuate the emotions in them. He loved them but it was on such a general level, because they were his grandchildren but here in this world Ben would have the chance to get to know Zale, Zada, Janet, Claire and Johnny.

"Pop, food is ready," Jack said and Ben refocused his attention enough to take a plate and settled at the table before Daniel started his lesson with Arabic, Ben asked why he always did the lessons during meal times when they could be talking about their day and Daniel had mentioned that it was something his mother and father always did with him. It was a tradition that made breakfast and dinner a fun affair but most of the day the Jackson-O'Neill family were with their parents instead of in a world where the children would go to daycare or school all day.

After about fifteen minutes of Arabic, Daniel allowed the children to shift back into Latin and Ben focused on Daniel, "Are you enjoying the return to the classroom?"

Daniel looked over at Ben, "Yeah I think I am, it's been difficult to leave the kids for half of the day but I love the Vannas people and I love sharing my knowledge. It helps to know that you and Jack are here with the children to help with their routines, again I hate not being with them all the time."

"Believe it or not Daniel, it's good for them and you. You come home and you love seeing them and they want to see you. But I know what kind of dad you are, the kind that needs to be a part of everything and it's hard to let them go sometimes."

Jack snorted, clearly agreeing with Ben while Daniel rolled his eyes, "What? You want me to not want to be a part of my children's lives?" he snarked in return.

"Oh Danny, you are the greatest Mama Bear in the world, and your kids love you for that despite the need you have to be here for everything," Jack responded.

Daniel shook his head and stuck his tongue out at Jack in retaliation; Ben chuckled at the ridiculousness of them. The first day after he came to this time, Jack had been slow to show any enthusiasm and when Jack told him about the depression and everything, he understood that what Ben had been seeing was the leftovers of the soul sickness his son was dealing with. Jack told him the amazing strides Daniel had gone through to keep Jack alive and happy with them. He told Ben about the therapy Jack had gone through and was still going through and smiled when he thought about the inherent difference between Sarah's relationship and the one Daniel had with Jack. Ben's first daughter-in-law had been unable to see past the death of her son, to see the devastation in her husband, he knew Sarah was a good woman, someone who'd allowed the sadness of life turn her against Jack and Daniel and the rest of his new family. The actions Daniel had taken at the beginning when Jack was trying to commit suicide via nuclear weapon when they were nothing more than acquaintances stuck on the same planet. And Ben knew that he didn't know enough of their story, especially in the beginning but Daniel fought beyond the personal pain he was in, the worry he had for the children and did everything in his power to keep Jack alive.

That was the kind of love that could last forever and have poems written about it.

With a sigh Ben smiled as watched as Jack and Daniel continued bantering in their way while he ate his meal and enjoyed the family he chose to be a part of, knowing that he'd made the right choice.

Ben knew it was time a few days later when Jack slipped on his shoes and waited next to the door. Ben frowned at his son, "What?"

"You should see what this world is like, what it means to live here."

Ben nodded and he slipped on his shoes and jacket. Daniel was home for the afternoon from his morning classes and Adrian, who was apparently adopted by Daniel and Jack into the family, was hanging at the house as well as his wife and children. Jack led Ben out of the house and they started walking slowly away from Jack's home. He wondered where they were heading until they took a step off the main road and headed towards what could only be described as an arena, with rising seats and a locale made for fighting. Jack walked into the arena with the strength of a man who knew he belonged. He looked around at the men and women who were sparring around the arena before locking on someone in particular. A young man with dark brown hair and more muscles than any man should be allowed to have but not in a way that spoke of steroids or something, he was just a warrior.

"Pop, this is Kirkan Greer, he was one of my pupils and teachers when I was training at this facility," Jack said.

"You trained here?" Ben asked Jack in surprise as he looked around at the strength of the warriors fighting, the power they were using and the magic that was apparently commonplace.

"It is nice to meet you," Kirkan replied strongly, "Your son taught us how to fight without magic and to not take our physical strength and cunningness for granted, it was very helpful to many of us for a long time. Are you returning to the arena? There are new generations who would benefit from your expertise."

Jack shook his head, "You know as well as I that Daniel would not be pleased and I gave my word."

Kirkan nodded, "I know, my friend. Why are you here then?"

"My father, Ben, is new to this world and in some ways the arena is the best way to learn how this world works."

"Give him the show then," Kirkan said and Jack led Ben to the seating area and they both sat down. Kirkan gave some directive and the show really did begin, they were all trying to beat each other and the number of fighters got smaller and smaller until the final two were battling it out and there was nothing Ben could ever say to describe the sight before him. The battle was fought physically and it was vicious, like they were going to kill each other.

"I thought this was only sparring, practice for something else?" Ben finally asked.

Jack nodded and kept watching the match, pausing to watch for another few seconds before he answered, "They have healers and so when it comes down to a battle like this for bragging rights as well as the better options when it comes to life partners and jobs within the Vannas society. Getting beaten in the arena is not just about pride, it's about status."

"Are you worried I will be in danger because I won't have a status among these people?" Ben questioned, trying to get to the bottom of Jack's reasoning for being here.

Jack nodded, "Danny doesn't spar, they don't know anything about his abilities and that was his choice but I worry and I can't keep fighting these guys for status. I fought weeks ago and I won but there is no guarantee I can keep it up so I need you to understand the score and take the protection given when necessary and keep us or one of the Z-twins close if you're out and about, they can surely protect you."

"They're nine, they shouldn't have to," Ben responded, staring at Jack in surprise.

"In this world, the kids begin defensive training as soon as they can use spells and spar as soon as they can hold a dagger. Part of Zale and Zada's training is such defensive techniques, trust them and trust me when I say that it could be necessary some day."

Ben watched as the battle concluded with one man standing over the other, clearly the victorious party and he sighed, "I understand Jack. I may not want to, but I do."

Jack nodded and they watched for a little longer before heading back the house, Ben knew there were going to be challenges in living in this new world but it didn't change the way he felt about being here with his son and Daniel and their children.

So he would follow the rules and live the only way he knew how, within the loving presence of family.


	24. No Rest for the Wicked

**Chapter Twenty-Four: No Rest for the Wicked**

Luckily Ben's transition into the house and family was pretty easy. Daniel had enjoyed the last couple of weeks, having Jack's dad there to hang with Jack as the children. He still wanted to be there all the time; the fear had faded but not left him completely after Jack's close call. Today though, Daniel was taking time from his school schedule and taking a walk with Zada. She was walking next to him, arms swinging happily as she hummed under her breath. Daniel watched her walking, she was so much happier and more settled and Daniel was desperately grateful to see it happening. Jack's recovery had been the last thing to get Zale back with them, both Z-Twins as well as Johnny were pretty much back to normal though every once in a while they still responded to things differently than in the past, which was to be expected.

Daniel was busy thinking about the large library he was heading to, it was in the Merrick house that Cassandra, William's mother, still lived and Zada was picking her next book while he was going to do some research. Then Zada stopped in front of him and Daniel bumped into her and he could feel the protective bubble shimmering around her body. "Zada?" he asked gently.

Daniel sucked in a deep breath when he felt the bubble shift to encase Daniel as well and looked where Zada was pointing and Daniel saw a warrior, who was young, probably in his early twenties. The fair-haired warrior was grinning towards Daniel and Zada. Daniel frowned and touched Zada's shoulder and felt her anxiety thrumming through her.

"Zada, you're okay baby," he whispered gently and she shook her head quickly.

"Daddy, we need to get back to Papa," she whispered.

"Zada, we're going to the library. Don't you want to see Lady Cassandra?" he asked her, rubbing a gentle hand over her loose wavy black hair.

"Daddy, I can sense what he wants to do, you shouldn't go anywhere near that man."

Daniel pulled Zada closer to him and hugged his daughter as the warrior moved towards them, his gait feral and clearly dangerous. Daniel tucked Zada behind him and glared down the man, not willing to appear weak in front of the other man. He didn't know if the warrior knew there was a barrier between them but Daniel wasn't going to take any chances with his daughter.

"Daniel, you deign to walk among us without any sort of protection. You know what this means, maybe you are searching for another warrior, one who is stronger and capable of giving you everything you so desperately want."

Daniel glared at the insolent little snot; "I don't want anything from you if that's what you're getting at. Get away from me and my daughter."

The man reached out and tried to press his hand into Daniel's cheek and he forced himself not to flinch away from the partial contact only to find the barrier bouncing the warrior backwards. Daniel looked down to see Zada glaring at the man. Daniel turned back to see the man shocked by the power she held, "Don't touch me," Daniel hissed, forcing the warrior's attention to stay away from Zada.

"Oh Daniel do you imagine," the warrior said with a feral grin, "That you have a choice in the matter. Do you think Jack and the Queen can keep you from this eventuality."

Daniel smiled a little, "No, I don't imagine they will keep me away from you, I expect I will do it myself. Stay away from my family or I am going to show you how capable I am without my husband."

The warrior laughed, throwing his head back in obnoxious humor and Daniel stepped forward and delivered a quick uppercut to the warrior's throat and Daniel figured that Zada used her power to boost the strength of the shot and the warrior fell backwards and to the ground.

Daniel stood there, gripping his hands in fists at his side for a moment when someone called out to him as she stopped next to the fallen warrior and Daniel refocused to find Cassandra standing there looking confused. Daniel hadn't realized how close they were to the library when the warrior was spotted. Daniel pressed a comforting hand on Zada's shoulder as he waved a little at the King's mother. She didn't truly look like a grandmother, her dark brown hair shifting into streaks of silver instead of a tired grey and her wrinkles were fine and barely visible.

"Daniel, what is going on here?" she asked him.

"This warrior thinks he can take me for himself," Daniel sneered.

Cassandra nodded and gestured Daniel and Zada to join her and the trio moved quickly towards the library, getting inside and closing the door behind Daniel. Cassandra sighed, "That warrior is Trygg, he is born into Lady Akina's opposition and believes the old ways are better. They believe that the strongest warrior has the right to take what he or she wishes just through the virtue of the skill shown in a battle. Lady Akina doesn't believe in that idea and she's not going to let him take you but you're probably pretty lucky that Zada was with you."

Daniel nodded and Zada moved away from her daddy and across the room to where the books were settled in perfect little rows. Daniel smiled at his daughter, so willing to let go what happened though he knew she was still leery about what was happening. He turned back to Cassandra, "I'm going to have to fight aren't I?" he asked her in a quiet voice.

Cassandra frowned at him, "You can fight?"

Daniel nodded, "I choose not to because I am a scholar and that's my purpose here and what I give to the Vannas people and I want people to underestimate me and Jack wants everyone know that he is not to be trifled with, its different but it works for us. I am going to have to do some extra training possibly but if I have to fight then so be it. I am not going to be assaulted again!" Daniel hissed the last word and the older woman stared at him in shock.

"What do you mean?" Cassandra asked gently, placing a gentle and loving hand on Daniel's wrist.

Daniel shook off her touch; Daniel made the choice not to tell a lot of people back home as well as in the Vannas world about Henry and what he did to Daniel. It was no one's business but his and Jack's.

"Thank you for coming to our aid but this isn't something I want to be sharing with someone else no matter the relationship I may have with them." He paused for a moment before he turned to Zada and smiled, "Sorry to rush you baby, did you find something?"

Zada was tugging a large book from the shelf and Daniel looked it over, finding one of the many prophecy books that belonged to the royal family, this one seemed to take place about a year before so it wouldn't bother anyone for her to have it for a while. He tucked the book into his bag, grabbed a few books as well before he pressed a gentle hand against Cassandra's shoulder before he walked back out with Zada's hand in his. The little girl immediately put a shield up around them and Daniel sighed, he hated that she went on the defensive and he had nothing to say in argument and hated it so much. He wanted his little girl to feel safe but there was no way to go back and undo them being taken by the bad guys in the past, he couldn't change some weirdo's sudden desire to take Daniel from Jack, but he could do everything in his power to stay safe and keep her that way as well.

They didn't run into Trygg on the way home and Daniel closed the door behind them and sent Zada to her room with the large book that she was bouncing around happily for. Daniel smiled at the prospect of his daughter being so stupid happy about some sort of school work. She enjoyed the hard work and achieving things, Daniel had spent a lot of time teaching them and he also gave them awards and prizes for their efforts. All of it had created incredibly smart and adaptable children and though they had struggled through the latest development in a much more bumpy fashion, they were still growing.

"Daddy did you bring a book for me?" Zale asked as he walked up to his biological father and Daniel leaned down to press his lips to Zale's forehead and stood in amazement of his son. With the silence and resurrection of Xylander, Zale had been able to work with his Magis instead of against him. It was nice to see Zale and Zada both doing better. Daniel pulled another of the books from his bag and handed it to Zale who laughed and clapped his hands before he walked away from Daniel.

"Hey," Jack said as he walked over and Daniel tucked himself into his husband's chest and heaved a sigh. Jack held him closely, hands rubbing into Daniel's lower back gently. "What's going on?"

"Jack, we have a serious problem."

Jack snorted, "When don't we?"

Daniel chuffed a laugh and moved away from Jack's chest and walked into the bedroom. Daniel waved at Ben who was working in the kitchen as they passed by. Jack closed the door and Daniel watched his husband. "Jack, there's a warrior. I think he's the same guy who's been looking at me in interest. He said today that he's going to fight and win, he's going to take me for himself," Daniel didn't want it to happen but his voice shook as he finished speaking and he took a deep gasping breath at the end.

Jack moved closer and pulled Daniel into his arms again, Daniel breathed in the comforting scent of Jack. He let it slip into his nose and sink into his heart and when Jack pressed into the back of Daniel's head and he sighed.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you," Jack whispered into Daniel's hair.

Daniel nodded then whispered in return, "I need you to give me a refresher course on self defense and offense."

Jack nodded, not even trying to convince Daniel to do something different.

"Zada put up a shield and protected me and I know that it's going to happen but I don't like it at all."

"Daniel, she's going to be ten soon and she's come back from too much already, trust that she's going to get through whatever happens. She would rather fight and use her powers than see you get hurt."

Daniel nodded and moved over to the bed and settled into it only to reach out and invite Jack in as well. Jack moved in close, tucking himself against Daniel's back and the younger man sighed into the comforting contact.

"Jack I need you to protect me by training me again. I need you to make sure I know enough to put this guy down and to assure anyone else that if they try to take me, try to ra-rape me then they are going to get the same treatment!" Daniel spoke clearly and his voice was strong though when he said 'rape' there was a little stutter.

Jack's arms squeezed around him and Jack whispered into his shoulder, "We'll start tomorrow."

Daniel nodded, "Bring Adrian into it, I trust him to help with training without gabbing about it to the rest of the world. I want these warriors to be surprised that I can fight."

Jack nodded again, "I'm not going to let anyone else try to take you away from me Danny, and I need you to be okay for all of us. You must know this but you are my heart and I need you."

Daniel tightened his grip around Jack's arms, which were wrapped over his shoulder and waist from behind. Jack pressed his lips into the side of Daniel's head and just held him for a while. Daniel wouldn't mind some midday fooling around but their children were in the middle of their day and Ben didn't need to be left alone with them though the older man didn't seem to have a problem with it.

So Daniel tilted his head back, tucking it into the pillow and looked up and into Jack's clear blue eyes and smiled at his husband, "I love you Jack. I missed you so much and I'm glad you're here with me. You're my heart."

Jack leaned in close and took Daniel's lips in a deep kiss with nipping teeth and searching tongue. It lasted forever and not long enough when Jack pulled back and smiled down at Daniel, "We are romantic saps aren't we?" he asked with a chuckle.

Daniel smiled in return, "Yeah I guess we are."

Jack opened his mouth to speak again when someone shouted, "Papa! Daddy!" so the two men groaned in unison and chuckled as they got back off the bed, rearranged their clothes and headed back into the fray. There was still a lot to do today and even more to do tomorrow. If that guy or any other wanted a fight, Daniel was going to give it because these people only believed in a show of strength and they respected it. He might not be the best fighter, but Jack was the sneakiest and the retired soldier would teach Daniel everything he needed to know.

Well, hopefully.


	25. Boot Camp

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Boot Camp**

**Author's note: Christmas chapter is coming up today hopefully!**

The very next day started training for Daniel, Jack took is personally to keep his husband alive in whatever was coming. He couldn't let his spouse be hurt so they spent every waking minute in the backyard sparring, whenever Daniel wasn't teaching or spending snippets of time with the children. Daniel took the training very seriously and though he had previously trained to be ready for any situation through the Stargate but Daniel needed to know more now.

About a week of training had gone by and Adrian showed up at their door, grinning like a loon with his hair shorn short all around his head except on one side were it was down past his ear and there was still that one streak of blue to distinguish his powerful family. "Good day to the both of you, I hear from Jack that Daniel needs to have some spar training," the young man said as Jack let him in. Daniel was sitting on the couch in his sweats and a wife beater. Daniel was sitting forward with his elbows pressed into his knees and folding in on himself. Jack had been watching his husband do this for a short while now, every time he beat Jack in the backyard, a little bit more of the gentle soul who he loves slipped away under the newer, less pleasant fighting version of Daniel appeared. It worried Jack a lot but he didn't know how to stop the process of getting Daniel ready to not just fight but win against a magical nemesis who was in his prime. So they walked back through the house and into the backyard where the children were running around for a while just after breakfast and before they were set to go to their lessons. They knew to stay out of the way of the sparring lessons so Jack watched from the porch as Adrian helped Daniel get into position and immediately moved into the fight. There was no way to stop this fight from happening and Daniel was right, Jack couldn't always be the one to save his husband, Daniel couldn't be weak in the eyes of these people because their children would be put in danger, it didn't make the cost any less steep.

"Hey Jackie," his dad said as he walked up to stand next to his son. Ben held out a mug with a warm beverage, the Vannas coffee substitute since Daniel protected and horded the real stuff from the past like a buried treasure only for special occasions. The Vannas equivalent was just as good for Jack anyway.

"Good morning Pop," he returned with a nod in thanks for the drink.

"I know you're worried about Daniel and I am too but I wanted to talk to you about something."

Jack gestured to the door leading into the kitchen and his father nodded. Jack resettled just inside so he could still hear the children playing, could still hear the sparring but could relax with his dad, splitting his focus. "What's up Pop?"

"So Christmas was right around the corner when I left and I was hoping maybe you might be interested in having some sort of Christmas celebration."

Jack thought about that, they've done a few holidays but Christmas was something that happened for such a specific reason, attached to religion and tradition that neither Daniel nor Jack had ever really cared enough to continue with their children. The children in the Vannas world had a different sort of higher power in the magic they possess and Jack had nothing against that spiritual understanding which Daniel could explain in much better terms. This offer though wasn't about the birth of Christ and being saved in the afterlife, this was about a chance to do something fun and happy with his father, he remembered Christmas as a child and wondered if it was going to be just what the doctor ordered for the kids and especially Daniel who was recently just as tired as Jack was not to long ago.

"I think that's a fantastic idea!" Jack replied grinning.

"Shall we plan it for a couple days from now?" Ben asked.

"Yeah, the night before we can find something for decorations and everything. We could invite Akina and her family, Adrian and Teal'c and Sam's families as well. Won't be able to add many more bodies after that but it might be good for Daniel. I don't want to lose him because of this Pop."

At his last words Ben slipped a comforting hand over Jack's and he locked his eyes on his father, "You are not going to lose him Jackie, you two made it through everything your mother put you through and everything that happened with Henry and you were stronger for it."

Jack nodded, sometimes he forgot about everything they went through in the year before, not to mention to ten before that. The only reason this felt so different was because Daniel was going against a fundamental thing about himself, forcing a change that frightened Jack and it wasn't because he figured Daniel wouldn't need him anymore. He knew that the younger man needed him for so many other things then Jack's ability to protect Daniel and the children, but Jack just had to believe they were get through it like they have everything other thing. He smiled to his father then got up and headed outside. It may have seemed strange and abrupt to anybody other than his father but Jack just wanted to see something good happen, a chance to celebrate something that may not but very important to anyone in this world but to him, his father and possible the other members of SG-1 this might be more fun than anything they'd done in a long time.

He walked through the gate that separated Teal'c and Sam's yard from their own then knocked on the back door, it's the door they all use to go back and forth since the front of their homes weren't technically all that close from the way that the houses were face the path that wound through the Vannas homes. Sam opened the door a minute later, in the midst of telling her children something before she smiled, and it was a tight look. Jack knew that ever since they got back, everything between Teal'c and Sam and Jack and Daniel had been strained because it was technically the O'Neill-Jackson children that were magical and Sam's children had been targeted as well, he figured Sam still held a grudge about all that.

"Hey Sam, I was hoping to invite you to a party over at our place, my Pop wants to do a Christmas and it wouldn't be an SG-1 party without you and Teal'c and the kids, what do you say?" he finished with a tight lipped smile.

Sam scooted the door back and invited Jack into the house, "Christmas Jack, really?"

Jack sat down and took the coffee she offered him before she sat down as well, even after multiple pregnancies, the woman had kept herself in really good shape and she was wearing one of her simple colorful skirts and a blouse. Jack spoke after a moment, "I know this has been hard for you and Teal'c. Your children never should have gotten caught up in the drama of my kids but I can't change that. I miss you and Teal'c not to mention the kids. Christmas might not have been important to me since Charlie but now with my dad here and my children and Daniel is getting ready to fight for his right to keep himself out of some pervy soldier's hands, I can't keep doing this with you as well."

Sam smiled but the expression looked more tired than anything, "I understand that the crap is always hitting your fan and yes my children shouldn't have gotten caught up in your children's stuff but there is nothing you can do to undo that so maybe I guess Teal'c and I need to revisit the children coming over because it's my choice before to keep ourselves apart. When is the party?"

Jack smiled and gave her the information that he had. They were going to have to get a message to the royal family and of course Adrian was in the background with Daniel so Jack would just tell him before he left. Adrian was such a good friend to them, it was as if Charlie had lived, this is the kind of man he could have been and because of the age gap between Jack and Adrian, which was what the relationship looked like. Adrian had told Jack and Daniel all about his father, who tried to kill his mother and succeeded but also didn't have any use for Adrian because he would gain the man the throne from his older sister. Jack hadn't know what to say when the young man told him all that but he'd just hugged him and said that Jack and Daniel were there for him and he was always there for the kids.

"So maybe we can do some trading and get gifts for all the kids, I don't know what they might be since we only have a few days but I'm sure we can figure something out."

Sam smiled, "I think we can Jack."

With that Jack stood, Sam following his lead that was still built into their personalities even after ten years out of the military. It was one of the reasons Jack could never see Sam as more than a teammate, he didn't want to be in charge of his spouse and Daniel had proved to him in so many ways and so many times over the years that Jack was not in charge of the scientist and that was before they came to the Vannas world. He opened his arms and Sam moved into them, awkwardly at first then she settled and tightened her arms around his back with a shuddering breath. Jack's hand found its way to the back of Sam's neck and tightened there in comfort while she sobbed into his throat.

"I'm so sorry you got caught up in it and that you were forced to come back here."

Sam chuckled, the sound a little wet as she shoved Jack away from her and wiped away at the moisture, "You think we didn't miss this place too Jack, no one here questioned my relationship with Teal'c, no one poked and prodded my children hoping to find something extra about them. Everyone here loved and respected us and though it was difficult in all sorts of ways, I missed this place. Its where my children were born, its why Teal'c and I found each other, we never would have in the past," she paused to wipe away another errant tear before she continued, "So if I promise to let it go, will you?"

Jack smiled and held out his hand which she shook and Jack left, surprised that he hadn't seen the kids or Teal'c, "Where is everybody?"

Sam smiled in embarrassment, "I wanted to talk to you, was hope to clear the air before Teal'c could punch you. He's been avoiding you mostly because of how I responded."

"So can I have my best friend back?" Jack asked sheepishly.

Sam laughed and nodded, Jack waved and walked back out of the house and through the back yards towards his own. He found Daniel heaving from exhaustion, sitting on the back step and walked over to flop down next to him. Jack took one of Daniel's hands between his and his husband looked over with a tired smile, "What you up to Jack?"

Jack just shrugged, leaned over and kissed Daniel's stubbly chin. He hadn't shaved in a couple days and it just made Jack shiver a little, thinking of how it felt on his skin a couple night before when Daniel was feeling frisky. "I cleared the air with Sam, she was still dealing with the kidnapping but its better now."

Daniel smiled and it was one of those sunshine smiles that made Jack's heart flip flop. "I'm so glad Jack. But seriously, what you up to?"

Jack grinned and walked away with a quick kiss to Daniel's cheek. Adrian was inside, sitting on the couch with Ben and Jack smiled when his dad gave him a little wink to say they were on for Vannas Christmas.


	26. Vannas Family Christmas

**Chapter Twenty-Six: Vannas Family Christmas**

**Author's note: Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you enjoy the smutty goodness as well as the JackDaniel family fluff. Please comment, they are like crack! :D**

Daniel knew Jack was up to something, he'd been with the retired Colonel for ten plus years but he couldn't really figure it out. Jack was talking to Ben and leaving the house with his father at least once a day for the last couple days and Adrian was being all secretive and silly. The kids were watching their Papa with curiosity as well so they didn't know what was going on but honestly it didn't change much of Daniel's day. Between working with students, and training with Adrian as well as Teal'c who had recently reentered their home after Jack and Sam had their talk the other day. Sam had been over a couple times as well as the kids and Daniel watched as his children got used to having Jacob, Haikon and Ishtar around again. They didn't understand why there had been a separation because that was about Jack and Sam but now they were back.

Daniel figured it was another anniversary that Jack was hiding so he just tried to ignore the shifty behavior. The fighting with Adrian and Teal'c had helped a lot because Adrian was magical and Teal'c was much larger than Daniel. They had techniques that Jack didn't necessarily use because they were about the same size. Sam had also showed him how to do some self defense training that was different as well because it was geared towards women, Daniel was just glad for the training, for the first time since they came to the Vannas land, he didn't need Jack to protect him physically. Daniel needed Jack for so much more and Daniel didn't want to do this forever so it was just in case Trygg attacked him or challenged him.

One evening a couple days later, Jack and Daniel tucked the children into bed and then went straight to bed since Jack had been touching Daniel every time they passed each other, rubbing his hands along Daniel's butt or pressing his lips into that space at the crook of Daniel's neck. Clearly Jack had no intention of sitting in the living room and reading before bed so Daniel closed the door behind them and Jack was there, crowding him into the closed door with his over heated body and hard muscles. Daniel sucked in a deep breath as Jack pressed in close and then his retired soldier's mouth was pressing into Daniel's mouth, a hot and open mouthed kiss that took Daniel's breath and shut off his brain.

When Jack pulled back for a second, Daniel gasped and spoke "What is with you Colonel Jack?"

Jack grinned lasciviously before he pulled the shirt off over his head and slipped his hands down at Daniel's waist and they slipped in the gap between his shirt and jeans. The sensation took Daniel's breath as Jack tugged the shirt up over Daniel's head and then skin-to-skin contact had him panting and pressing his mouth into Jack's again. "Bed," Daniel whined a little.

Jack grinned again and they moved, stumbling through the room and over to the bed where Jack sat down and tugged Daniel down with him quickly. Daniel pressed his palm into the bed next to Jack's head and pressed his mouth into Jack's again. He could feel Jack's hands fumbling at their belts and the pants, shoving his hand down Daniel's pants and gripped at Daniel's erection and rubbed slowly up and down. Daniel groaned at the sensation and wished he could have gotten out of his pants before they ended up on the bed because now he was painfully stuck inside his pants. Jack grumbled, clearly feeling the same way before Daniel tugged away from Jack and pressed himself down on the bed and pulled off his pants and boxers while Jack did the same and Daniel waited to see what Jack had planned only to moan when Jack pressed a hand around Daniel's cock once more and pulled a couple times, he moved his hand slowly up and down Daniel's body then he was turning on his side and pressing his lips into Daniel's mouth once more. Daniel pressed a hand into the side of Jack's neck and kept Jack as close as he could. Then his pace quickened and Daniel moaned, unable to hold back the sound as Jack heightened his pleasure by nipping at Daniel's throat. He could do nothing but orgasm when Jack kept up his vicious pace, grunting out the pleasure and it snapped behind his eyes and whiting out his vision for a second then before Daniel had time to breath a few times Jack was gripping a tub of lube and pressing it into Daniel's hand. Daniel grinned, knowing what he wanted, knowing what Jack wanted. Daniel struggled to spread his legs wide then Jack placed himself between the younger man's legs. Daniel opened the tub and squeezed out some of the viscous gel before he moved to press his elbow into the bed and move his wet fingers between his legs and started rubbing the gel into the skin around his entrance. He started moaning as he watched Jack's eyes darken in lust and his cock's tip was an angry red, desperate to be inside Daniel.

The scientist went about teasing himself and Jack at the same time, pushing one finger in then two, stretching himself slowly but easily. He pushed passed the slight stretching pain and whimpered, knowing the sound would push at Jack's limits of control. He peaked up at Jack through his lashes and then the older man was on top of Daniel, pressing his lips into Daniel's mouth for a long kiss before pressing Daniel over on his side and sliding behind him. Daniel allowed him because he loved the closeness of this position and the amount of care Jack always gave him. Jack pressed into Daniel's back and then he was sliding in, the slight burn just beneath the pleasure, egging Daniel on and he tried to push back but Jack was holding his hips. Daniel moaned in annoyance, making Jack huff out a laugh before finally after an eternal moment Jack bottomed out inside Daniel's body and they both exhaled slowly before Daniel grunted, "Come on Jack."

Jack laughed again, pressing his lips into the side of Daniel's neck, "Yes Dr. Jackson," he husked, making Daniel's already hardened cock twitch in pleasure. "I am going to knock you out with the next one Danny."

Daniel snorted then moaned when Jack started shifting, he pressed deep before pulling back out. Jack kept their pace distractingly slow and kept a gentle pressure against Daniel's hip so he couldn't press back into Jack. "Come on Jack!"

"Nope," Jack said on a quick thrust that rocketed his body forward just for a second. Then he continued to stroke inside Daniel, barely quickening his pace every once in a while to wring every tidbit of pleasure from the coupling. Daniel's hands gripped at Jack's hip and the other was gripping spastically at Jack's hand, which was around Daniel's shoulder and wrapped across his chest. Jack refused to touch Daniel's hard erection and it just pushed Daniel even closer to the edge especially when he shifted his hips just enough to brush against the pleasure center inside him. Then Jack pounded into him a few more times, revving Daniel up and then he was riding the razor's edge of pleasure then Jack paused for a moment the second before it was enough to knock him into his second climax.

"Jack!" he hissed, "Please Jack."

Jack's mouth pressed wetly into the side of Daniel's face, rubbing into the scruff that was there. "I know Danny, I am going to give you everything you deserve."

Daniel felt as Jack shifted his hand down Daniel's body, to his straining cock and then he was slowly stroking Daniel even as he started thrusting again. Jack's body pounding in a fast rythym that took Daniel's breath away and then Jack's hand started moving up and down on Daniel's erection and Daniel just held on for the ride, he didn't know what was going on with his husband but he had no intention of arguing especially when Jack's grip tightened imperceptibly and he shouted out his release but Jack kept moving, Daniel's hole tightening around Jack's cock and then his sexy husband grunted and filled Daniel with his orgasm, pleased when Jack's hold on him tightened for a few moments before Jack pulled out with a happy gasp.

Jack moved off the bed slowly, grabbing something from the bathroom and coming back, Daniel didn't move as his husband cleaned him up gently and tossing the cloth back to the bathroom before nudged Daniel so he would lay on his stomach. Daniel frowned, "What's going on Jack? Did you decide it was time for another anniversary?"

"Daniel, just enjoy this okay?" Jack said, exasperated with Daniel's continued curiosity and paranoia.

"I can't help it Jack, if you got me gifts and I haven't been able to find something for you, how is that fair?" Daniel murmured into his arm as he heard another jar being opened and the scent of lavender permeated the room. It was one of the message oils that the Vannas people made, different than what they used for lube and even body lotion. Daniel sighed as Jack pressed his hands into Daniel's broad shoulders and kneaded the muscles and flesh. Daniel moaned in happiness as Jack's hands continued and then he spoke, "This isn't about an anniversary Daniel. You will find out soon enough but for now, I just want to treat you like the blessing you are to me and give you an easy and blissed out night of sleep."

Daniel nodded, already half gone as the message continued. He allowed every muscle group to loosen and felt as every thought and worry in his mind slipped away and then between one kiss along the back of his neck and another at the middle of his spine, Daniel was gone with a smile on his face.

Daniel woke again refreshed and pleasantly sore from the evening before the Frisky Jack. He smiled as he sat up in bed, wondering why no one woke him up to feed the kids so he grabbed his robe from the end of the bed and wrapped it around him. He belted the worn fabric and walked out, just realizing there was a lot of whispering coming from the living room then he stared in awe as he looked around the front room. It was covered in soft and fragrant vines with small red buds and there was a Christmas tree in the corner, complete with some sort of twinkling lights. Daniel pressed a hand over his mouth when he noticed the snack foods and breakfast laid out on the table that sits in front of the couch and the kids were sitting with Jack and Ben around the room. The kids were grinning up at him and Jack smiled before he spoke, "Morning Danny, we wanted to say something."

With that, everyone shouted, "Merry Christmas Daddy!"

Daniel's eyes grew damp as he desperately tried not to cry then all of his kids, his husband and father-in-law was hugging him and he let go of everything he'd been doing, everything they'd gone through recently, it seemed like that kind of trauma didn't ever go away, it just had good memories to overcome the sadness and damage of the past. He couldn't believe Jack had done all this, setting it up and finding the presents that were peaking out from the tree. Daniel pulled back and kissed Jack on the cheek, "After all these years, why'd you think of this now?"

"Pop mentioned Christmas and I thought it might be a good tradition to start."

"I think you're the coolest husband of all time, this is great. It smells just like a couple of Christmases I had with my parents before they died and a few that happened in foster care after they died. Thank you for bringing it back for me."

Jack grinned and kissed Daniel again. He grinned into the caress then leaned down to kiss each of the kids on the head. Then he moved to sit in the middle of the couch where everyone was pushing him to sit then the door opened and in walked Teal'c and Sam, each with an armful of presents, wrapped in simple netting or cloth to make it a surprise but without tape and tags it was interesting to see what everyone would do to remember what belonged to who. Behind Teal'c was Adrian, DK and their two children and Daniel couldn't help but smile at their family. It wasn't just him and Jack, Adrian had been a part of their family for about nine years and Sam and Teal'c even longer. It was good sometimes to remember that there was more to family than blood, and lately that had been the important thing with the kids and Jack but it was time to remember all the good of the life they had here and part of that was having Sam and Teal'c with them as well as getting to know Adrian. Then behind DK was Akina, William and Greer as well as Taylor, Tiana, Tracen and Tariana. Daniel didn't spend a lot of time with the Royal children besides Greer and Taylor but he knew them on sight. Everyone piled into the room and settled around the living room.

Daniel looked around in shock that so many people fit into their relatively small room, compared to the castle and a lot of the royal homes but somehow it was working right now. "We wanted to see this strange custom Jack has named Christmas, we do not have much we can contribute but we wished to spend a little time here and enjoy the idea of such a rite."

Daniel laughed, "Jack didn't name it, Christmas is a celebration of the birth of a religious figure of many of the human sects."

Akina nodded, intrigued by the comment but she didn't say anything else which was probably a good thing, Daniel didn't really want to talk about the creation of Christmas and where each tradition came from. He knew most of it; Daniel had spent a whole month of school time, after his homework was done, deconstructing the holiday to help him understand what it was truly about and why it would be okay to live without the event every year because of the commercialization of it. It had been a way for a very young Daniel to be okay with no more Christmases after the death of his parents and now Jack had brought it back at the most opportune moment.

"Well, the plan for the day is to exchange some gifts, then eat some delicious breakfast made by myself and Grandpapa. After that, we can pile out in the backyard for some games if we want since a big part of Christmas traditions in the past is watching certain movies while the dinner is being made. And though there is no real way to completely construct a classical Christmas dinner, we found something that would work instead. There isn't much more to it than that unless Daniel has any traditions that he would like to continue here."

"What are movies?" Zada asked from where she sitting on the floor next to Daniel's feet where she was holding her brother's hand. Janet and Claire were both tucked into one of the smaller sofa-type furniture and Johnny was sitting on Daniel's other side with Greer next to him. Everyone else was sprawled out on the floor and then Jack and Ben moved over to the tree and started handing gifts to all the children, including Adrian's two, Akina's kids and Teal'c and Sam's brood. Each child with exchanging from Sam's bundle ended up with one present each and Daniel was looking down at the two gifts that were plopped into his lap by Jack. Ben and Jack didn't have gifts and many of the grown ups didn't either, Daniel didn't understand why he was getting presents when no one else was but Jack just shook his head, "No Danny, this is as much for you as it is for the kids. Don't start with the not fair crap."

Daniel snorted and stayed quiet as all the little ones started carefully unwrapping bundles and showing off what they received. There was an assortment of handcrafted items going around the room. The youngest had articles of clothes, and Daniel noticed that Jake, Zale and Zada all got a wooden sword and shield and he smiled at the thought that they were old enough to start playing with them and then realized that here in this world, that was a dual present. Play fighting wouldn't just let them fool around and blow off steam but they would also need to start to learn defensive and offensive fighting skills with weapons instead of relying on their magical abilities and after watching his children go through the kidnapping and the trauma it caused, he was glad for the gift. Sam's twins: Haikon and Ishtar both received training staffs that didn't have any sort of points but would make efficient tools and Daniel also realized they were going to have to lay down some rules about play fighting as soon as they got out into the back yard with them. Janet and Claire received new dresses, the ones that Akina wore to official ball type events and both girls were squealing messes over them, Claire's was a deep blue with a white bodice and Janet was a deep but incredibly vibrant red that would look amazing on her.

Johnny was holding whatever he received tightly between his small fingers and Daniel reached out and pulled it away from his chest and smiled, it was a small leather bound book and on the front, etched into the tough material said Johnny's Visions. Johnny may not be capable of speaking out loud but he had a very good start on spelling and writing, especially since Daniel focused on it for his communication, he may have been ahead when it came to kids back in the past but here it wasn't that abnormal, especially since his biological mother was Vannas and magical. Daniel pressed a quick kiss to his special boy's head before he found everyone waiting on him. He frowned and looked down, tugging gently at the cloth covering from the first gift and revealed a wooden box that was about a foot in length and lifted the lid to find a silver dagger, it had symbols etched into the shining surface and the hilt was perfect for his grip which he realized when he lifted it out of the box and turned it this way and that, it wasn't the first knife or weapon he'd ever carried since he used to carry Beretta and multiple other weapons when he was a part of SG-1 but this seemed very personal, something that he could use to protect himself and his family. He turned the hilt and noticed the etching at the base of the dagger, it was his name in small flowing script but underneath it said 'forever in time' which was still tattooed into the skin of his palm from his magical wedding with Jack. As soon as they came home, the tattoo returned and the ring had become a tattoo under their skin once again. Daniel turned to look at Jack, a tremulous smile on his face, "Thank you."

Jack grinned, "I want you to be safe, even if it has to be you keeping you that way."

Daniel nodded and leaned in close to press his lips to Jack's mouth for a quick and innocent kiss before he turned back and lifted the second gift, slipping the cloth back and finding a journal much like the one that Johnny had, his name etched into the corner of the leather and he looked inside to find it was ready for him to fill the pages with entries of whatever he please and he smiled again, "Thank you guys, it has been far too long since I have had my own journal to write in. Thank you for getting together and doing this, Christmas hasn't been a part of my life for the most part since my parents died. I am going to try so hard to make sure that we find new ways to celebrate each other, Jack as my husband and all you children who make my life good and powerful. I would do anything for any of you, and that means you know how to protect yourself and it means we take time to play as well."

All the children, even Adrian's and Akina's started cheering at that. With the last present opened, Jack and Ben along with some help from Sam, DK and Adrian delivered plates of food to each person where they were resting and with a moment of silent contemplation, breakfast commenced with happy chatter and noises of happiness in the back of throats. Daniel sat back and enjoyed the ambience of the event, tucking himself into Jack's shoulder before they picked up the remains from the meal and sent all the kids outside after a quick list of rules for using the play weapons from Daniel as well as William and Teal'c. Many of the parents went outside to enjoy the warmth of the day while the kids played, many of them helping to fix fighting techniques and Daniel realized they were already in training to become warriors and he found he didn't have a problem with that so much anymore, amazing what one little kidnapping can do to change someone's perception of that is good for his children. Daniel watched everyone playing for a while before he walked back inside and passed Jack, kissing his husband on the way past then realized what last night was all about, wiping out Daniel's early morning energy because he was usually the one who woke up with the children.

With that thought, he took a couple steps backwards and smacked Jack in the butt, causing the older man to grunt in surprise and he gave Daniel an innocent and put out look, "What was that for?"

Daniel pointed at Jack and glared, "Don't even play Jack, you know what you did."

With that Jack snickered before he went back to prepping what looked a lot like a pig carcass and there was also a bird on the counter. There were also the fixings for a salad and a fruit salad as well. It was going to be a good meal and it would have to be with so many people eating, thankfully Jack set this up in the last couple days because there was no way Daniel had that much meat here in the house, most of the butchering and prep work was done by one of the butchers and then delivered one or two days a week since there wasn't a lot of options for freezing meat for long periods of time. Daniel had been running low as far as he knew.

He walked back to the bedroom and dressed quickly but he paused as he walked by the bed and frowned, wondering if that letter had been on the bed when he left the room. There was also a much large cloth covering something on Jack's side. He walked over and lifted the card from the bed and loosened the wax seal, the one that Adrian had created for correspondence a couple years ago, the symbol was a stylized of 'O' and 'J' at the center of the infinity symbol which had been a part of their relationship symbols since the day they married and the tattoos appeared on their hands. At the base were also the initials of all the children, stylized so they almost looked like little pictures until you looked closer. The seal meant that the letter came from Jack or one of the kids since they were the only ones who could use the seal.

He opened the letter and found Jack's messy handwriting and he read, 'Danny, I know what you're going through is changing you and that's okay. I know that you're not with me because I protect you, I know that no matter what you are still my beautiful Danny and so this other gift is not one I would see you use if I could have my way but it was made for your measurements and Adrian will start training you with it whenever your ready. Love, your Colonel (General) Jack.'

Daniel smiled at the parenthesis; it was so like Jack to do something like that. He reached out and tugged the deep red cloth away to find a sword, one of the thinner ones that were sharp and sported a deadly curve, it was held at the moment in a scabbard that Daniel could easily attach at his hip. He ran his hand up and down the length of the scabbard and slipped the blade out with a frightening slip of sound. He quickly slipped the blade back in before he did something stupid like cut of his own foot. He was amazed, speechless at Jack's acceptance and also the power he was giving Daniel to do what he needed to do. He couldn't wait to start training with the blade and the dagger; it wouldn't be something his attacker would expect. He quickly changed, tucked the sword inside the closet just in case any of the children decided to come into the bedroom, Daniel and Jack's kids wouldn't because they knew better than to interrupt their parents' privacy but there were a lot of children here that didn't belong to Daniel. He slipped on his shoes and walked back out to the kitchen and hugged Jack from behind, and his husband couldn't touch him since he was covered in residue from cooking the food set before him. Daniel pressed a kiss into Jack's shoulder and whispered gently into his ear, "Thank you Jack."

Jack smiled, "I love you Danny, that's all there is to it. I would do anything for you."

"I love you too Jack."

"And I love you both," Ben said obnoxiously as he moved to hug both of them and Daniel laughed as Jack struggled, muttering for the old man to find his own husband. They all laughed before Daniel kissed Jack quickly then hugged Ben and rejoined the loud party going on in the backyard.

Much of the day passed that way, happily together, some lessons given but mostly just playing. Daniel even played dragon a few rounds and the older boys had to protect the 'princess' which ironically happened to be a princess for real when Daniel took Tariana or Tiana. Not to mention Adrian's little girl Dani. He honestly couldn't remember the last day like this, filled with laughter and friends, love and good food. And the food was good, Jack and Ben put forth a feast to feed the army they were charged with caring for. Daniel sat at the dinner table and spoke Latin with his children, teaching some of the others and inviting the older kids he'd been teaching to join in as well and then when everyone left, Daniel and Jack bathed their happy and dirty children, read bed time stories then slipped into their own bed, curling around each other happily and Jack pressed his lips into the side of Daniel's head.

Daniel smiled, "Merry Christmas Jack."

"Merry Christmas Danny," Jack returned quietly.

"If we do this again, we are gonna have to call it something else," Daniel stated tiredly, barely getting the words out past the yawn.

"Sure Danny," Jack whispered back but Daniel had already slipped into an exhausted and contented rest. So Jack pulled Daniel even closer and followed him.


	27. Planning a Party

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Planning a Party**

After Christmas there was nothing to do but get back the business of living. Daniel was still training in the mornings, he had afternoon classes at the arena and in the afternoons they all spent time with the children. Jack had a busy day as well, sticking around with the Z Twins when they were in their lessons with Akina and William and then playing with Janet, Claire and Johnny as well as Greer who stayed at the Jackson-O'Neill house on most afternoons. Of course, there were other children and adults as well who tended to come to the house to have play dates and afternoon 'coffee' with Jack. Sam and Teal'c and their children were now a constant guest as well.

It was one such day when Sam was sitting in the kitchen with Jack as Teal'c helped in the back yard with some sword and shield play with Janet and Claire. Johnny and Greer were in the living room writing or talking to each other. Despite the fact that Johnny had started speaking to them again in their minds, he still utilized the sign language to have private conversations with Greer but Jack didn't really worry about it anymore, his son needed this friend. He just left them alone for at least an hour every time Greer was here then he would go and take them outside to play with the other children. It was the best way for Jack to do what he needed for Johnny but also to not let the little boy isolate from his family.

So Sam looks over from the window that made it possible to watch the kids in the backyard and asks Jack, "Don't you usually celebrate Zada and Zale's birthdays soon?"

Jack frowned, thinking about the time year that it was and nodded, "You're right. I was so wrapped up in being sick that it just kind of snuck up on me, and Daniel has been so focused on the fighting skills and I always do the parties. He loves it and will do it if he has to but ugh, dammit!"

Sam chuckled a little, shaking her head; "Well maybe we can do something together for Jacob as well seen as how they were born so close together."

Jack grinned, "We haven't done that in a while."

"Yeah, and Jake loves to hang out with Zada and Zale around birthdays."

"That's cus I know how to party," Jack said with a silly lopsided grin.

Sam laughed, "Sure Jack keep telling yourself that."

"Maybe we can have the party at the castle or something, maybe the arena? Zale and Zada are doing really well with the weapons training. I don't know if Daniel wants to do something else, oooh we could teach a bunch of the kids to play soccer or something and they could just play for most of the day as well as bring some food and just enjoy each other."

"Now that's a good idea Jack," Sam returned and pressed a hand over Jack's knuckle. He looked down at her hand, the gentle caress and pulled back easily. He didn't know why he suddenly felt the touch was different than any other but he didn't want Sam to touch him even if it didn't mean anything. Her smile slipped a little at his movement and Jack stood and slapped his hands together happily, thinking about what he could do for the children. Sam let it go, whatever it was and Jack was grateful. He wasn't going to let some weird little moment ruin a good day for him.

"Papa!" someone called from the backyard so he gave a quick wave to Sam and walked outside to see what the kids needed. He was looking forward to another party, this time though Daniel would have a chance to contribute though if they were going to continue the tradition of Vannas Christmas then they were going to have to put it during a season when they weren't celebrating birthdays. Zada and Zale's birthday season was about four months after the Z twins in the cycle of the seasons.

Later, after Jack was done serving a simple dinner, Daniel wandered into the house with his book bag bumping into his hip and the hilt of his dagger at the other hip. Jack grinned a little, knowing his lover was carrying protection and that he'd given it to him. It was like another wedding ring, the Vannas knew that Jack had the blade commissioned and made for Daniel.

"Hey Danny, how was class?" he asked as Daniel threw down his bag with a little more enthusiasm then was normal. The kids jerked in response to the thump of the bag and they all watched as Daniel scrubbed his hands over his face, clearly frustrated about something.

"Daddy?" Zada asked gently, she was always nervous about when Daniel or Jack was having a bad day, Zale usually ended up quiet and sad but his sister would constantly try to find out what's happening and why and how she can fix it. Its endearing and frustrating all at once, another proof that biology or not, Daniel was her Daddy.

Daniel pulled a smile out of his reserve of 'kid energy', "Hey baby girl, I'm okay. You guys having dinner. I'm so sorry I wasn't home earlier, I ended up finishing out another class session with one of the Greer boys and got caught up."

"Well you're here now, I have some extra that I saved for you," Jack said as he pulled the plate of the of the warming unit they had on the counter, it was simple in design but again used aspects of magic and technology to keep anything placed inside at a warm, not burning, temperature for a short amount of time. Daniel walked over and took the plate from Jack's hand, pausing to lean into Jack's body and kissed him on the cheek. Jack squeezed Daniel's hand in a motion reminiscent of what Sam did earlier but when Daniel smiled a little despite his strange mood and Jack nudged him over to sit at the table. Jack stayed leaning against the counter and watched as Daniel pulled himself together for the sake of the kids and he couldn't help the little flutter in his heart. Daniel deserved to have hard days too sometimes but he never allowed something like that to effect the way he was with the kids. Jack would just have to make sure Daniel was taken care of tonight after the kids went to bed.

For now though, Jack ate his food and helped the kids clean up after an afternoon playing around the house and allowed Daniel the time to work out whatever was going on in his head. Daniel was like that, sometimes he just had to work it through and he would tell Jack when the retired soldier either bothered him into talking or Daniel just let it all out.

But as Jack tucked everyone in, leaving Daniel in the living room after kissing each of the kids, he returned and suddenly Daniel was pacing around the room with all that frustrations were just below the surface and ready to explode. Jack paused at the base of the steps for a moment then walked across the room, gripped the side of Daniel's neck and pressed his mouth into his husband's moist lips for a few breathless seconds and Daniel's shoulders slumped as his hands came up and gripped at Jack's wrists for a few moments until Jack moved his head back and Daniel's eyes fluttered open to show those deep blue eyes. "You want to talk about it?" Jack whispered gently.

Daniel dropped his arms and sighed, "I was in my class and this young warrior, not the guy who keeps coming after me but maybe someone from the same camp so to speak. He came up to me after class, getting right up in my face and told me to be ready. There was more than one warrior ready to fight for the right to tell me what to do, to command me. I don't understand where these guys have come from, why isn't Akina doing something about it?"

Jack reached out and took Daniel's hands in his gently, kissing one hand then the other, "Go demand that she do something about it Daniel then you are going to show them that you will not be taken. You are strong Daniel, strong enough to deal with whatever these little snotty upstarts have in mind and I am going to be with you in this. The kids are with you in this, okay?"

Jack watched and felt as Daniel released the rest of the tension in his shoulders and he slumped into Jack's chest who graciously caught Daniel with a hand to the back of Daniel's neck and the other along his lower back. Daniel's hands were clenched into the back of Jack's shirt and he was breathing into Jack's throat. The hot breath along the curve of his neck comforted Jack in a way that nothing else really could. Daniel was taking comfort in their love for each other, instead of hiding this stuff from Jack.

"What if these guys think they can put their hands on the kids to get to me?"

Jack's grip tightened at those words, a fear that he had too but he trusted himself and Daniel to keep them safe but also, the children were getting strong enough they could protect each other and themselves anymore. "We have to trust that they can deal way better than we can sometimes. Your babies are strong enough to fight for themselves but we'll make sure that doesn't need to happen."

Daniel nodded into the side of Jack's neck and he gripped Jack's back even tighter for a second before he let go and took a step back and Jack smiled at the determination in Daniel's gaze. "Can we change the subject now?" he said with a breathy sigh.

"So," Jack said with a grin, "We completely forget or whatever that this is around the time Zale and Zada were born and Sam and I were talking about what we should do for them as well as Jacob maybe."

Daniel smiled a little, "Oh right, what were you thinking?"

"You think I have something already?"

Daniel gave him a look that clearly said 'duh' so Jack laughed and shrugged, "What did you have in mind?" Daniel asked.

"I was thinking we could commandeer the arena or part of it, get some of the kids together and teach them soccer or something, just let them play it out. Then we could make some sort of meal, I don't have much more of a plan than that but they've been so focused on fighting practice and magic practice. I know they play but not as an all day thing."

Daniel smiled, pressing his hand to the side of Jack's face, "That's a great idea Papa Jack."

So they settled in for the night, playing some games and Daniel making some lesson plans but Jack would ask questions and make some plans for the kids' party such as who to invite and so on. Though since it was going to be in the arena, the royal children were going to be there of course as well as some of the friends of the family. Jack planned out who to ask to bring food and how to set up and so on. The way birthdays worked here, since Vannas didn't necessarily believe in extraneous stuff that had no need in life so they just enjoyed games and food, not presents. Jack and Daniel usually give one gift to each child no matter what but its something that the kids can use and they are always pleased because it's usually something extra but useful. Since they just had 'Christmas' and they got presents, Jack was considering their options and invited Daniel's opinion as well.

This conversation continued for several days around the rest of their normal schedule and Daniel went to talk to Akina about the guys bothering him and she said she would do what she could, Jack got the rights to the arena and the planned for the party. The kids knew something was going on, especially Zada and Zale who knew what time of year it was but they didn't know what they were going to do specifically. It was part of the fun for Jack, Daniel was still working with Adrian and Teal'c and Sam was hanging around the house a lot more, planning the party and helped with the kids while Jack ran errands for the party.

The last thing they needed a day before the party was the presents and the parents were sitting up wondering about what they were going to do. "Seriously, Christmas was maybe not a great idea so close to birthday time," Jack muttered to Daniel who was tucked up against his side happily. Daniel chuckled at his statement and squeezed Jack's hand where it was tucked around his waist.

"Pretty sure it was because you forgot about them but I promise I won't tattle on you," Daniel returned.

"Pretty sure you forgot too," Jack returned with an inelegant snort.

"Yeah yeah," Daniel said quietly and fell into contemplation again. Jack sat there, running his fingers up and down Daniel's arm. He knew he was supposed to be thinking about what the Z Twins want for their birthdays but the warmth of Daniel's skin and the hitch in Daniel's breathing was distracting him when Jack scrapped at the skin delicately.

"Jack," Daniel husked gently.

"Yes Danny?"

"Don't distract me," Daniel said trying desperately to sound serious instead of breathless. "They got warrior stuff at Jack Christmas," Jack snorted in laughter at the name before Daniel continued talking, "Maybe we can find something in the library or offer them the chance to learn with someone new. Maybe we can ask them what they want?"

Jack chuckled, "There's a thought, great so let's go to bed since we have a plan now."

Daniel laughed in return at the lascivious look the retired General was giving his brilliant husband, "Sounds good."

Jack got up off the couch and tugged Daniel up as well, they got into the bedroom and Jack pushed Daniel up against the wall and proceeded to show his wonderful husband how hot he was and how much Jack just loved him. Daniel moaned into Jack's mouth as the older man pressed in close and their body heat mingled in the room. Jack was going to be tired, Daniel was going to be tired but it was going to be worth it. Jack was pleased that they still had this passion and lust even after ten plus years of being together and he figured that there was never going to be a day when he woke up and didn't want Daniel. It seemed like every time he touched his younger husband, the need for him strengthened instead of diminished so he figured he would just worship Daniel until they were exhausted and sated. That was Jack's only goal for the evening and he was determined to succeed he thought with a grin as he started jerking clothes off of his lover and got down to the business of Daniel's pleasure.


	28. The Big 10

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Big 10**

Daniel rubbed his tired eyes as he sat up in bed and looked back at Jack who was still sleeping. His sexy general of a man had an arm thrown over his stomach and the other moved from where it had been pillowing Daniel's head to cross over his eyes, blocking out the light streaming in from outside. Daniel knew they were going to have a hell of a day because they'd only gone to sleep a few hours before after several hours of sex and fooling around. Daniel stretched and tried to rub the sleep from his eyes again much to his disappointment. He was going to have to suck up some strong coffee if he was going to make it through the party today but he wouldn't give up a second of it.

Jack, when he puts his mind to it, knows how to worship Daniel's body with his lips, tongue and teeth as well as his hands and the rest of his body. He never had any doubt that Jack loved him, felt intense passion for Daniel when they were in the bedroom. He pulled himself up and grabbed his robe, slipping it on before he leaned back down, feeling the pleasant stretch and burn from the previous nights activities, to kiss Jack on the lips before he walked out of the room. If Jack wasn't awake by the time breakfast was done he would come back and make sure he was getting up. He headed to the kitchen and started on the breakfast meat, eggs and toast. He was cooking happily, its one of Daniel's favorite parts of the day because he had solitude except when the kids came to help and he got to be of service to Jack and his kids. Breakfast was a good time as well, just with the translating and family time was just always a blessing to him.

When Zada came down, he had her cut some fruit and he pressed a kiss to his daughter's forehead gently while she worked at the table. "Happy birthday baby," he whispered into her dark curled hair.

Zada looked over to him, "Today?"

"Yup, gonna have a party for you and Zale."

Zada clapped her hands happily at that before she went back to cutting, she was still dressed in her sleeping dress and slippers to protect against the early morning chill in the house. Daniel finished up the cooking, placed all the food in serving dishes and placed plates and a few bowls on the table before he walked upstairs, passing Zale on the stairs. Daniel pressed a hand to his son's shoulder, making the boy pause and hugged him tightly after he leaned down uncomfortably. "Happy birthday my beautiful young man."

Zale grinned, "Today?" he asked as he bounced into Daniel's embrace a few times.

"Today, no lessons and breakfast is on the table. You don't have to do your Latin if you don't want to."

Zale smiled up at his father, "Daddy, I love languages as breakfast. If Zada will do it then I will to. Though the twins might enjoy the day off, I think they have been tired lately."

Daniel nodded and tried to remember the last time he sat down and paid real attention to his daughters, to all his children. It was different with Johnny because Daniel had a one-on-one class with Greer and Johnny was there with him. Janet and Claire had been spending so much time with Jack and Daniel hated himself a little bit. He kissed Zale on the forehead once more and kept walking up the stairs. Zale called out from the base of the stairs before he rounded the corner, "They always know you love them."

Daniel flinched at the statement, knowing that somehow it made it more painful to think of his behavior. He walked down the hall and found his beautiful daughters still in their beds with their dark blond hair ruffled around their heads. He smiled, the deep abiding love in his heart deepened like a well. He settled between the two beds, with barely enough room for him to settle his butt down on one of the beds. He pressed a hand into the side of Janet's head, smoothing back her hair gently. He turned a little and did the same thing to Claire and stroked them both into wakefulness and they didn't hesitate to climb into his lap. Daniel quickly slipped himself more completely on one of the beds so he wouldn't fall off. "I'm sorry that sometimes I get so caught up in my own stuff, and Zale's stuff, and Papa's stuff. I love you both so much and you two are so good."

"Daddy," they moaned in unison.

Daniel loosened his hold slightly and rocked them back and forth, "I love you both, and you're my baby girls."

"We know, silly Daddy." Janet and Claire said in unison with one of the silly little high-pitched giggle.

"Daddy is busy," Claire whispered, regressing a little in her language as she ran her fingers through the nape of Daniel's hair. He flinched because Daniel hated that Claire felt like she had to make excuses for him for some reason.

"I'm not too busy for you baby," Daniel whispered into Claire's temple and pressed a kiss there. "Just the three of us will go do something together after the party, tomorrow maybe?"

Claire and Janet nodded, squealing a little in excitement making Daniel flinch and then he sent them both off to the closet to dress for breakfast. He walked out of the room and went farther down the hall to find Greer sitting up in his bed, rocking slowly back and forth.

Daniel walked cautiously into the room but shouted out loud enough for someone downstairs to hear, "Jack!"

He moved close, kneeling down and reaching out to touch the side of Johnny's neck and the little boy shuddered a little into the touch then he was shoving himself into Daniel's arms. "What happened little one? Did you see something? You can talk to me about it, remember?"

Johnny nodded into Daniel's shoulder but just kept gripping at Daniel's neck. _'Party today?'_

Daniel frowned but then again he wasn't all that surprised, Johnny saw all sorts of things that didn't necessarily mean bad things were happening, he just didn't really talk about them because a lot of the things were meant to be surprises though rarely for Johnny. The youngest O'Neill-Jackson didn't like surprises in any way. "Yes," he answered simply.

Johnny pressed his hands into the back of Daniel's neck and an image flashed through his mind and he gasped. The visceral shot of a sword striking at Jack, watching his beloved protector and husband fall to the ground of the arena was forever burned into Daniel's mind and he sobbed a little before he hugged Johnny tighter for a second. He turned with Johnny in his arms when Jack stumbled into the room with just some sleep pants on and suddenly before a word was passed between them Daniel and Johnny found them wrapped up in Jack's arms. Daniel couldn't speak even if Jack had given him a chance. Johnny was gripping at Jack tightly and Daniel hopes desperately that Johnny wasn't going to show Jack what he foresaw. Now that Daniel knew the score, he could keep the fighters away from Jack and keep the vision from coming true but if Jack knew what their son saw then he would never let Daniel do what he'd been training for these past weeks. He was done being the victim, done being the little woman who sits at home and waits for Jack to save him.

When Johnny was calm once more, the three of them went downstairs to join the others and started breakfast. The Z Twins were all excited chatter and Latin mistakes as they spoke too quickly to translate well. Daniel was impressed they were making so few mistakes actually so he didn't jump into the conversation since he was paying attention to Johnny and watched as their youngest came back out of his shell and did so quickly. Daniel was pleased to see the negative crap from the recent past hadn't forced Johnny back into his shell. Daniel just kept Johnny in his lap while he ate and Jack helped the other kids. Breakfast passed with relative ease then they were rushing around, getting dressed and packing the food and stuff they were bring to the arena for the party then everyone was standing by the door and waiting to leave together. Daniel hefted one of the containers and Jack had another bag then they were off. They found Sam and her family outside, waiting for them. Daniel smiled at his friends and they took off towards the arena. The walk was a few minutes and Daniel walked with Johnny's hand pressed into his hand. The twins were running in between Jack and Daniel and The Z Twins were in front. Daniel watched as Sam walked next to Jack, just a little too close and Daniel frowned.

"Teal'c, what's going on here?"

The former Jaffa paused a moment that put more space between them and Sam who was laughing and chatting with Jack who didn't really look comfortable with whatever was going on here. Teal'c heaved a sigh; "Our relationship is different since the time we returned from the past, it had even changed before our return."

Daniel frowned, "What do you mean?"

"I believe the term would be estranged on the verge of separation. We have hidden it from Jacob, Haikon and Ishtar for quite some time but there is something transpiring for Samantha."

Daniel nodded and looked again at Sam as the woman he considered to be his sister reached out and stroked a hand down Jack's arm. Daniel's husband slid away carefully and subtly, clearly hoping to maintain boundaries but not hurt their friend. "Why does that something include Jack?"

Teal'c said nothing, his hands clasped at his lower back as they turned off the main road towards the arena and they were joined with Adrian who pressed himself between Jack and Sam, hugging his adopted Papa close and then Jack gripped Neil who was cuddled into Adrian's chest. Jack cooed at the little boy who was his namesake as they continued on their short journey and Daniel tried to let go of whatever was going on. They had a party to get to, some children to celebrate then they could figure out whatever was going on with Sam. They arrived moments later and a part of the arena had been sectioned off for a private party that didn't look very private at all in Daniel's opinion. Akina and William were there with their children; Taylor, Greer, Tiana, Tracen and Tariana were there. Greer immediately ran over to Johnny and swept the little boy away and was showing Daniel's son the ball they were going to use for the games. Asana, Akina's sister, was there with her husband Steph and their children; Talon and Cambria at eight years old as well and Blaise who was about Johnny's age. DK was there already with Dani, Adrian and her daughter, toddling around after her mother. Adrian swept his son away from Jack and rushed over to kiss his wife gently. A few other families were joining, the Greer family as well as Erica Trinity with her daughter and son and husband. There were others though Daniel kept losing them in the chaos of children and adults. Instead he led their brood over to the tables and settled them as well as putting out the food they were bringing to the celebration. Daniel looked at the amassed array of food and knew no one was going to go hungry. He settled down to watch as Jack started instructing the kids on an easier version of soccer and then picked teams. Daniel watched as the games began and Jack came over to sit as well. Jack slipped an arm over Daniel's shoulder and they sit in comfort while they snack on some of the fruit on the table. Daniel watched as Sam and Teal'c moved around each other, never coming close enough to touch even on accident while Jack and Daniel always sought each other out. It was said to see they'd missed whatever was going on with their dearest and longest friends.

"Something is going on with Sam and Teal'c," Daniel whispered close to Jack's ear. "Teal'c said they were becoming estranged on the verge of separation. Its been getting worse since we came back apparently."

Jack nodded solemnly, "I had wondered when she started coming over without him. I enjoyed the time with her then I got the sense she wanted something more from me but she hasn't crossed a line yet so I didn't know what to do."

Daniel pressed a kiss to the side of Jack's face, "You can't blame yourself and you were trying not to hurt our friend."

Jack smiled a little, "You are the most amazing husband a man could ever have, did you know that?"

"I know," Daniel said with a cocky grin.

Jack nudged his shoulder and chuckled then they went back to paying attention to the party in front of them. The game was going well and the Z twins were grinning from ear to ear. Daniel was pleased to see the birthday twins having a good time and Johnny was out playing tag with Janet and Claire as well as a few of the younger children since they were a little smaller and didn't want to get stepped on by the older, more determined children.

After several hours of play, the flock of tired and dirty children descended upon the food and everyone helped to make sure everyone was fed before something happened and Akina and the rest of the royals were called away. There were plenty of parent-aged people around to pick up the slack as well as a bunch of the warriors were standing around, picking at the remains of the birthday meal and Jack was up and playing with the children, Sam watching him just as much as Daniel was. Daniel spoke gently and quietly with Teal'c, asking him about what he was doing with his time and what he'd been going through with Sam. He just kept on talking and kept watching as well. He wasn't paying attention to the surrounding crowd well enough and when he told Teal'c he'd be right back and wandered away from the party and towards the building where he taught classes. He didn't realize anything was wrong until someone slammed him into the side of the building and he saw stars. Then remembering what it was like to be at the mercy of Henry he immediately slammed his head back and caught his attacker on the bridge of the nose and the assailant grunted in pain and Daniel turned, grabbing at the dagger at the same time. Daniel was ready this time, when the warrior tried to grab him again so he sliced the blade at the man and couldn't believe that it wasn't even Trygg, this was someone else.

And Daniel was determined to keep Jack away from whatever this was.


	29. Fighting For Freedom

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: Fighting for Freedom**

Jack looked around, realizing that Daniel wasn't around. He'd spent much of the last hour or so playing with all the kids and keeping himself away from Sam's prying hands. He was so confused about her strange need to glom onto him even with trouble she was having with her relationship with Teal'c. She knew that Jack loved Daniel, everyone who'd ever been in their presence knew that but Sam seems to have conveniently forgotten than Jack had given up everything he knew about himself for the sake of the love he felt for the sarcastic, smarty pants archeologist. Her forgetfulness was incredibly frustrating.

He walked over to Teal'c since the last place he'd seen Daniel was with the Jaffa, "Hey T, have you seen my handsome hubby? Wasn't he just here a minute ago?"

Teal'c looked around, "He went to the arena building O'Neill."

"Will you watch the little ones for me?" Jack asked.

"I would be pleased to do so," Teal'c responded and Jack nodded with a smile. He turned towards the building and started walking only to be jerked back quickly and looked down to see Johnny holding him back, fingers digging into his skin.

"JJ, what's wrong?"

_'You could die Papa, don't go.'_

Jack was more surprised by Johnny speaking then the words he spoke, the young boy had a vision that morning and most of the time it was horrible things that he was forced to see with his gift. "Is your Daddy in trouble?" he asked as Jack leaned down and pressed his hand into Johnny's waist.

Johnny shrugged but Jack could see the truth in Johnny's chocolate colored gaze, he knew that look since he'd seen it in the mirror on more than one occasion when he didn't want others to know the truth about something, when he was forced to hide something for the good of others. He hugged his son for a second then caught Sam's gaze and motioned down towards Johnny before the walked back to the table and grabbing Daniel's sword which his husband had started carrying it around but he'd put it on the table earlier. Johnny was fighting against Sam's hold, making those grunting screams that he made when he was very unhappy with what was happening. Jack started running, towards the arena building and he could see some sort of fight going on. He panted with the struggle to run, he wasn't a young man anymore sadly and Daniel was fighting alone right now. He came up close enough to see Daniel fighting a warrior, not someone that Jack knew but he stumbled to a stop and just watched what was happening in front of him. Daniel was holding his own, the warrior seemed to be following the honorable rules of combat and wasn't using magic but who knew how long it was going to last. Daniel had his dagger and he was keeping the man at bay. Jack wanted to call out and warn Daniel, get the sword to his lover but he couldn't distract him without causing possible injury in the process.

He kept watching wishing he could step in and punch the warrior but then someone was spinning Jack around and he was taking a punch to the face. The pain rocketed through his cheekbone and into the corner of his eye, sparking behind his vision. He recovered quickly, using the handle of the sword and striking the warrior across the temple and forcing him away. Jack only had a moment to realize it was Trygg, the guy that has been bothering Daniel for far too long.

"Here you are again Jack, protecting him from all takers. Maybe when I take you, kill you then he will realize that I can do so much more for him."

The other fight had stalled for a moment when Trygg started talking and Daniel panted a little, "Jack no, you need to get out of here!"

Jack frowned but said nothing, he didn't understand why Daniel was trying to get rid of him but that wasn't going to happen. He kept his eye on Trygg who was moving closer to Daniel and shifting the other warrior away from his target. Jack shifted his stance and tried to get between the two men but Trygg just leered at him. "I challenge Daniel to a fight, if I win then I get to put my hands all over him any way I want in the name of the Fighter's Code."

Jack wanted to growl at the thought of this upstart sonofabitch putting his hands on Daniel but didn't say anything else. This is what Daniel had been training for all this time, it was up to him even though Jack was desperate to protect his beautiful Danny.

"If I win, if I don't kill you then you leave here and never come back," Daniel hissed back and there was such rage in his words that Jack knew that it was more than Trygg's behavior, this was about Henry too.

Trygg didn't seem to be bothered by Daniel's declaration and Jack slammed his fist into the other warrior's chest and sneered, "Stay out of it, this is an official challenge and you don't get to interfere."

"Neither do you," Trygg said.

Jack glared at the younger man then reached out to grip Daniel's hand and pulled him away from the other two men. He wrapped the belt around Daniel's waist and latched it securely and then Daniel was grabbing Jack's hands, "You need to get away from these guys Jack, I can't have something happen to you."

Jack pressed his hands into Daniel's cheek, "I'm not leaving you alone, what's gotten into you and your son today?"

A tear slipped down off the edge of Daniel's lash but he quickly wiped it away, "Johnny saw something and I need it to not come true. I need you far from this danger today."

"You can forget it Daniel, I am going to stand here and watch you kick this guys ass."

Daniel groaned then turned back to Trygg and pointed at the other man, "Stay out of this, stay away from Jack and don't you dare touch me!"

The other warrior nodded and took several steps away from Jack, Daniel and Trygg. Jack kept a wary eye on him but watched as Daniel took a step towards Trygg and then as if no time had passed, the battle started. Daniel and Trygg started with hand-to-hand and it completely took Jack's attention and there was no way he could keep an eye on everything. He hoped someone realized that they needed some help here, two against two may be even but then again these guys were dangerously dishonest and capable of awful things. The hand to hand morphed into something with blades and dogged determination to bleed each other. Daniel's face showed only cold determination to beat this guy, to prove to himself that someone wasn't going to touch him if Daniel didn't agree to it. Jack kept watching and silently cheered when Daniel nicked at Trygg's skin over and over. He was incredibly good with the sword, not that Jack was surprised but then again he didn't know if Trygg was giving it his all. Since Jack had never trained him, the General didn't know truly what Daniel was working against. Then he watched Trygg's face and he could see the exhaustion seeping into his features and Jack smiled. This was close; there was no way Daniel, who'd been training with the powerhouse Teal'c and the magical wizard Adrian, to lose. He watched as Daniel came in close, switched around his blade and used it to thrust the handle into the bridge of Trygg's nose and the warrior stumbled back and he fell to the ground. There was a fountain of blood pouring from around his hand as he stumbled backwards as Daniel chased after him, Daniel didn't kick the man that just went to show that Jack's husband was the better man. He'd been watching the end to the battle so closely that he missed when the other warrior rushed him, with a blade pointed straight towards Jack's gut and the older man shifted and he felt the blade slip through the gap between his thigh and arm then strike something soft behind him. Jack reached up and punched the warrior and he dropped to the ground, unconscious then he turned and looked down to see Johnny with that blade sticking out of his lower chest. Jack shouted and grabbed Johnny as he fell and heard a shout from behind him and then Daniel was standing next to him. Jack reached around, finding the tip of the sword poking out from the back and he shouted again, "NO! No! This can't be happening right now!"

"No, JJ, baby why would you come here?" Daniel whispered as he pressed his hand over the wound and Jack looked around to see Trygg and the other warrior still on the ground. He lifted Johnny from the ground and Daniel moved with him, replacing his sword in the sheath and they moved back towards the party since Erica and her husband, Alec, was both there. Daniel started screaming for help the instant they were close enough and they got instant attention. Jack couldn't seem to take in enough air, couldn't handle all the blood seeping from the edges of the wound and how white Johnny's little face was already. He could feel the blade twist in his heart, the deathly reminder of what its like to lose a son and here they were again. He was freezing up, couldn't seem to move now that he'd stopped. Daniel had tears streaming down his face and he was struggling to breath through the pain at seeing Johnny hurt.

"Jack! Daniel! What happened?" Erica shouted as she came over and saw Johnny, "Oh dear Zara, we must see to him immediately."

The healer tried to remove the little boy from Jack's arms but he wouldn't allow it, Jack cursed at the woman who was responsible for saving Jack's life not that long ago. He couldn't seem to let go of his little boy, the tears clouding his view of Johnny in his arms. Erica reached out and touched Jack's cheek, having wedged herself next to Daniel at Johnny's lax shoulder. "Jack you trust me with him and I will get him back to you as soon as possible but you need to trust me."

"I can't let him go," Jack shuddered hoarsely.

Erica nodded and heaved a sigh, "Then I need you to hold him very still, I have to pull out the blade and heal the inside damage. I do not know how much I can heal but I need to do this now."

Jack nodded but didn't take his eyes off the subtle rise and fall of Johnny's chest but it was becoming erratic.

"Daniel, move around to Johnny's head and hold him still as you can, Alec get your ass over here!"

Erica's husband rushed over and immediately placed a hand around the hilt of the sword and pulled without any sort of warning, the slipping sound of blade through body making both parents flinch horribly as Johnny's body arched from the force of the removal. Erica started healing immediately and Jack was left praying this wouldn't be another Charlie.


	30. No Air for Breathing

**Chapter Thirty: No Air for Breathing**

**Author's note: this is a tough chapter for our boys please bear with me and them about that.**

Daniel kept holding Johnny's head as Erica worked her ability in their son. He wanted to scream at someone, at the world or whoever was supposed to be keeping an eye on the children. Instead for now, he stroked a hand continually through Johnny's soft blond hair. He wanted to comfort Jack, to keep his husband here with him instead of in the past with Charlie because Daniel knew that that's what Jack was seeing right now, he was seeing another one of his sons dying because of him. Jack would blame himself for this and though Daniel knew that this wasn't Jack's fault, he wondered what would happen to their marriage if Johnny didn't make it, Jack and Sara couldn't make it work because of Charlie. Daniel didn't think he could lose his son and his husband in one awful swoop.

"Daniel, I know this is very difficult right now but I need you to keep it together," Erica stated calmly. Daniel nodded and locked his gaze on what she was doing instead of the sheet white face of his son or the blood that was leaking all over Jack's clothes and the ground beneath them. He was watching the life force of the bravest child he'd ever known soak into the ground and he could feel the bile rising in the back of his throat at the sight, but he swallowed down the need to vomit.

"Here I go, going to repair the worst of the damage first but I cannot replicate his blood so even the best case will come with recovery."

"I don't care as long as he's alive," Daniel grunted.

Jack still said nothing, just gripped Johnny in his arms and stared into their little boys slack face. Then Alec was there, pressing a hand into Daniel's shoulder and the other into Erica's and without any warning, Daniel was swept away in the power of Erica Trinity. She sank into Johnny's body, her healing abilities like a deep navy blue wave that stalled the bleeding, stitched up blood vessels and healed the trauma to his lungs and several other organs. Daniel could see in his mind's eye what kind of power this woman truly possessed and was reaffirmed why she was the queen's personal physician. She moved gracefully through all the areas that burned red in Daniel's mind and he deduced that it was the areas of pain and damage. Then just as quickly as it began, the healing came to an end and he opened his eyes to see Johnny still unconscious and still but his breathing was evened out and his heartbeat when Daniel pressed a finger into his pulse point was strong though a little slower than normal.

Daniel turned to Erica, "Well?"

The healer panted, her skin clammy and shimmering in the mid day sun. "The worst of the damage has been repaired but as I said, his blood loss could have cause unforeseeable problems. I do not know what those will be. He should waken soon and you will know more. Get your family home, I will report what has happened to Akina and then I shall return to you and give him some more energy when I have recovered a little. I would allow Alec to continue except that Johnny has always been particular about who touches him. His body needs time to settle."

Daniel nodded and nudged Jack who still said and did nothing, "Listen Jack, hear his heart. Johnny, your son, is still alive and I need you to snap out of it. I need you to get him home while I go get the rest of our family."

Jack shuddered and he finally focused on Daniel's words then Johnny's lack of bloody wounds as well as the gentle breathing he could feel in his arms. He pressed his ear gently down on Johnny's chest and clung to the small child as Daniel pressed a desperate kiss to Johnny's hair then to Jack's head as well.

"Daniel, he's alive," Jack gasped in surprise.

"I know baby, I need you to take him home and stay with him until Erica comes back. Can you focus and do that? You need to leave the past behind and stay here with your son!"

Jack shook his head, like a dog getting rid of excess water before he leaned over and pressed a desperate kiss to Daniel's mouth and rose, taking off towards home. Daniel looked to Erica, "Get Akina here or I will kill the man that caused this!"

Erica nodded and Daniel stood, gripping the dagger from his belt and walked purposefully towards the arena building where he'd fought Trygg, the other man was the one who was going to kill Jack, had almost killed his precious son and there was so little in between Daniel and the white hot rage surging through his veins. He wanted to destroy the people willing to destroy his family for their own selfish delusional means and when he found the two warriors shaking off the beat down they received moments before he lunged forward and hit Trygg in the side of the head before he leaned down, close to the warriors face and hissed out, "Move again and I will kill you. Do you understand?"

Trygg whimpered a little, his manly swagger ripped away during the earlier fight. Then Daniel moved over to the second attacker and pulled him up to his knees by the long hair pulled back in Vannas style and pressed the edge of his blade into the man's throat. "You promised to stay out of the fight!" he hissed into the side of the man's face. The anger forced the words out of his mouth and there was nothing he could do to fight it back down into the darkest recess of his mind.

He nodded just a touch, jerking at the hairs that Daniel still clenched between his fingers.

"You lunged at my husband when your man was on the ground, you stabbed my son! He now fights for his life thanks to you!" Daniel shouted and pressed the blade in farther, causing a trickle of blood to well at the wicked point of contact and the man shuddered.

He swallowed, causing a deep wound to well, "Please?"

"Please what?" Daniel hissed, "How dare you ask anything of me, you are a dishonorable creature who deserves pain!" He took the knife away quickly, pressed the man's hand back down on the ground and slammed the dagger down on the warrior's hand and he screamed, high pitched and full of shrieking pain.

"Daniel?" someone shouted and he turned to see Sam and Adrian standing there. Akina was running towards them as well and Daniel was sad to know there was no chance he could continue hurting the warrior, he'd gotten a few licks in but torture and breaking bones took time. So since he still had a little time, he removed the dagger from the surface of the man's hand only to shift it and jab it into the side of the man's body, hoping to puncture something to kill him but figured he didn't really want that.

Akina came forward and pulled Daniel away from the shrieking man kneeling on the ground in front of them. Several of the guards swarmed around Trygg and the other man and took them away. Daniel shook Akina off of him and looked at Sam, "Why didn't you make sure to keep Johnny with you? Jack knew he was troubled before the party and I know my husband, I know he would have made sure Johnny wasn't alone. What the hell happened Sam? This is my child here and he's fighting for his life!"

Sam said nothing, she stared at Daniel in shock but he seemed incapable of pulling it back. Akina had apparently handed off the other man and she wrapped her arms around Daniel's shoulder and tried to calm him immediately. Daniel jerked against her hold when he felt the cloudy sensation of calm slid around him like syrup. "Stop it Akina!" he hissed.

"Not until you calm down, why would you attack Sam about this?"

Daniel sucked in a deep breath and shoved Akina away from him, surprised that her power didn't knock him down for it. Zara, her Magis, usually didn't take kindly to violence. Daniel glared at her sharply before he turned back to Sam, "I don't care what kind of crap is going on in your relationship and your home, stay away from Jack and stay the hell away from my children!"

Sam flinched at his words then Daniel walked over to the warrior and grabbed his dagger from one of the guards who was holding it before he took off towards the party. He walked towards the group of people standing around and sought out his children and Adrian walked right up to him and pressed a gentle hand against Daniel's chest. He wanted to snap at the younger man but this was someone who was like a son to Jack and Daniel both so he waited for a second.

"Don't do this to them Daniel, I don't know what happened but you look insane right now. I will bring the children home tomorrow, just go now and take care of Jack."

Daniel gasped and realized Adrian was right, he nodded and turned away and tried so desperately not to fall to his knees. He wobbled on his feet then felt the comforting warm presence behind him, turning to find Teal'c there. "I am with you DanielJackson, I will return you to O'Neill."

Daniel nodded and leaned heavily against the warrior. They made the trek back to the house and Teal'c opened the door and led him back to the bedroom where Jack had apparently stripped himself and Johnny, their clothes strewn around the room. Daniel pointed Teal'c upstairs and the man went to find something for Johnny then Daniel dragged himself tiredly across the room and leaned against the bathroom door and watched as the steam trickled out of the shower. Daniel struggled to hold himself up and found Jack leaning against the wall with Johnny held in his arms and the trickles of blood sliding off of their bodies. Daniel jerked at the blood-spattered clothing and dropped them on the floor before he crossed the room, and he could suddenly hear Jack's heart wrenching sobs. He got down to his boxers and climbed into the shower and wrapped his arms around them both. He pressed a gentle hand into the diamond wound still in Johnny's chest though it was closed up and not actively bleeding. His other hand lifted to Jack's cheek and he pressed gently at the skin until the older man looked down and locked his gaze with Daniel.

"Jack, Johnny should be resting. Can we get out and dry him off?" Daniel asked gently to which Jack nodded listlessly. He showered quickly and then helped Jack out to dry them off. He started with Johnny's body then dressed the young boy in his pajamas and wrapped him loosely in a blanket. Daniel tiredly coaxed Jack into some pajamas and then pressed his husband down and watched as he wrapped an arm gently around Johnny's stomach. Daniel redressed himself in clean clothes and collapsed into the bed next to his boys, as he finally allowed the rage to eek out of his mind and body. There was nothing to stop the devastation from sneaking in on the tail of the anger. He pressed a hand to his face, the tears blurring his vision and his breathing caught as he tried to control the sadness. He didn't know if he could hold in the devastation that they'd seen in their lives for the last couple of months. He wanted to climb back out of the bed again but he couldn't leave Jack or Johnny right now so he took a couple deep breaths and hoped against hope that he could survive what he'd done to people, what he'd done to Sam. He would just have to wait and see.


	31. Wanderer

**Chapter Thirty-One: Wanderer**

Jack stayed still and awake on the bed for the whole afternoon and evening. Daniel got up when he needed something and when Erica came back to finish the healing that she could do. Johnny had slept through everything and Jack wished the little boy would just wake up and look over at him. He felt like there was no way of thinking Johnny was going to survive this if he couldn't even look at them.

Jack lay there and listened to Daniel crying in the bathroom later after Erica left, he heard Daniel sobbing out his pain in the backyard and Jack couldn't go to him. There was nothing more for him to do than just lie and wait. His hand was pressed gently to Johnny's stomach, feeling the light rise and fall of the little boy's chest and he just kept staring up at the ceiling without saying a word.

For the last couple hours he'd been flinching every time he closed his eyes because he could see Charlie on the bed, slumped over unnaturally and blood everywhere but every time he walked over to the bed Charlie's face would shift and then he would see Johnny. The phone call to 911 was about Johnny and his little boy, the youngest of his beautiful and genius children would be dead and he was never coming back. That was all Jack could see and he was getting twitchy as a result.

He couldn't sleep; he couldn't stay awake so he was stuck in that bizarre in between stage that made him feel like he was drowning. So he just focused on the rise and fall of Johnny's chest and listened to the noise of the house. He could hear when Daniel walked back inside from the backyard and puttered around the kitchen, the sound of his foot shuffling across the floor seemed loud to Jack. Then he was there at the door, shuffling across to the bed and this time he climbed in behind Jack and the older man shifted to pull Daniel to curl into Jack's chest and they settled there.

"He's not going to die Jack," Daniel whispered, his voice raw from the sobbing and screaming he'd done that day.

Jack nodded, pressing a desperate kiss into Daniel's forehead. He took a deep breath and looked over, seeing Johnny's sleeping form and forced his mind and heart to let go of the past and see the present. He knew intellectually that the past, with Charlie's death, was why he was struggling with the present situation. He knew Johnny wasn't Charlie and Jack knew that his baby wasn't dying today and he just had to keep thinking that until the tension of the past left him to the truth of the present.

"Jack?" Daniel husked, sounding broken and desperate.

He turned back to his husband and looked into those leaking wet blue eyes and so the harsh reality that he's not alone in this. Jack tightened his grip a little and jiggled Daniel hoping to shake whatever was going on inside his husband, "I know he's going to be okay. I can't help that I keep seeing Charlie."

Daniel nodded spastically for a second then he shuddered, "I'm so sorry Jack. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I didn't want the fighting to be the biggest thing in our family but I couldn't back down and Johnny knew you were going to get hurt and now he's hurt instead because our six year old boy was trying to protect you."

Jack frowned and sat up, keeping a knuckle rubbing gently against Johnny's chest but stared at Daniel. "What do you mean Danny?"

"Johnny saw the party and saw you with a sword sticking out of your chest, he showed me and I knew I needed to keep you away from the fight if it happened. I didn't know that it could happen like this."

Jack frowned but leaned down and pressed his head into Daniel's cheek, "Danny, I left Johnny with Sam and the rest of them. I knew he was worried about something but you shouldn't have hid it from me. Danny, this isn't your fault."

Daniel nodded but said nothing, he pressed his head into Jack's cheek and panted, the tears wetting both their faces.

"Daniel!" Jack commanded gently, he knew what his husband was like. He knew Daniel would blame himself for this and Jack wasn't going to let that happen.

"What? I just had to fight Trygg, I had to walk away from our children's birthday party when I knew they were after me. It was stupid and selfish. I knew something was going to happen and I ignored it!"

Jack pressed Daniel close into his chest and sniffed as the tears threatened to fall. God they'd already had such a hard year and this was just one more damn thing.

"I yelled at Sam, told her to stay away from us," Daniel whispered.

Jack sighed, that was just the crap cherry on the crappy pie. Sam and Daniel had been friends for a long time, since they met in the SGC and now because she had been flirting with Jack and distracted from the kids that could all be coming to an end as well. It was a horrifying disaster and Daniel felt like he was at the center of it.

"Daniel, I think we need a little separation while Sam is figuring things out, don't blame yourself for this."

"I'm just so sorry Jack," Daniel whispered again.

Jack was about to speak when they heard a stilted moan. Both of them turned to find Johnny's eyes fluttering and Daniel stumbled around Jack onto the other side of Johnny so he could press a hand into the side of Johnny's neck while Jack pressed a hand to his chest. His breathing was becoming erratic in shock so Jack started shushing him and rubbing his chest in a soothing circular motion born from years of Johnny nightmares. "Hey little boy," he whispered.

"My handsome baby boy," Daniel whispered as well, "How you doing?"

Jack knew his Danny wasn't expecting an answer but they were both surprised when he whispered into their minds, his mental 'voice' sounding sure but weak. _'I live. Papa live. And Daddy live. Good here.'_

Jack sobbed out a chuckle at Johnny's answer and leaned over to press his lips to Johnny's forehead.

_'Won't leave Papa and Daddy.' _Johnny whispered between exhausted pants of air through his nose.

Daniel leaned down and sobbed as he pressed his forehead into Johnny's neck and they all just laid together. Jack couldn't help but look up at the ceiling and whispering under his breath, "Thank you for not taking my son."


	32. Recovery Time

**Chapter Thirty-Two: Recovery Time**

Daniel stayed curled up with Jack and Johnny throughout the night, his hand pressed over Jack's hand where it was on Johnny's stomach. They didn't move except to get something for Johnny who, now that he was awake, was incredibly dehydrated and tired. Jack was moving now, jumping up when Johnny even thought about needing something. Daniel was pleased to see his husband a little more mobile and not as comatose that reminded Daniel a little bit to much like when he was fighting the depression not that long ago. After Johnny woke the first time, he woke every half hour or so for something, every couple of times he just woke with the panic in his eyes and they took their time calming him down each time.

And now, it was morning and Daniel's stomach was talking about the lack of food since midday at the party. Jack was still sleeping but Johnny was looking over at him so Daniel reached over and lifted his son away from Jack, which just made the older man grumble in his sleep. Daniel shushed his husband, "Its okay love, just sleep."

Daniel grabbed a pillow before he walked out of the bedroom towards the kitchen. The bench was leaned up against the wall so he put down the pillow and settled Johnny down who curled up but just watched Daniel as he moved around the kitchen. He warmed some soup, something that Jack had made in a big stew pot a couple days before and made some for him. He left some on the warming counter for Jack who would undoubtedly wake soon. He sat down on a chair, scooting the table out of the way and started feeding Johnny one spoonful of soup at a time and had some for himself in between, pleased to see that he was eating, though he was still moving slowly.

He thought back to what happened the day before, he beat Trygg and he threatened and slammed his dagger down on the other warrior's hand. He was going to kill that man, he hadn't cared whether Trygg lived or died because he'd been pervy and gross but he didn't try to go against the rules of the challenge, the second warrior on the other hand attacked Jack and was going to kill him if it wasn't for Johnny's interference.

Daniel didn't want to kill anyone anymore, the rage he'd felt was gone and all there was in the end was just sadness and guilt. Daniel knew there was no reason to feel guilty but because of the hours of training, he'd learned to turn off the sympathetic and empathic part of his heart and it was undoubtedly the way Jack survived so many years in Special Forces and being the man who makes the hard decisions but Daniel knew that it wasn't how he wanted to live.

Johnny shook his head after a few minutes of feeding and Daniel caressed his son's face, "Doing so good baby, what were you thinking? What happened?"

Johnny shook his head and Daniel went back to eating then Johnny spoke into his mind and Daniel was so pleased to hear the little boy's 'voice' that he almost missed what his son was saying. _'Aunt Samantha told me to find you, I would contact Zale when I found you.'_

"What did Papa say before he left you with Aunt Sam?"

_'To stay with Aunt Samantha but I needed to save him.'_

"Jonathan O'Neill Jackson, you are a six year old child and I know its hard to understand but its our job to protect you, not the other way around."

Johnny nodded solemnly and the little boy settled back again, _'Why did Aunt Sam let me go?'_

"I don't know baby but I'm going to find out."

"Yeah, we both are," Jack said from the door way and Daniel nodded to his husband before the older man walked into the room and picked up the bowl of soup from the counter and started eating. Daniel traded chairs and took his utensils and bowls to the sink and watched Jack as he kept touching Johnny, rubbing his hair and kissing his fingers gently.

They jumped when someone knocked on the door and Daniel walked through the house to open the door to find Adrian with the rest of his children as well as Akina. Daniel's eyes filled again and he struggled to hold back the awful sob that wanted to escape his lips and opened his arms for them. Zale and Zada allowed the twins to go first, tucking both his bio-daughters into his chest for a moment and hugged them gently. He kissed each of them on the cheek before he invited Zale and Zada into his arms, releasing the girls to do so. He could hear as Janet and Claire rushed through the living room and Jack hugged them. He could hear when their little bodies collided happily with Jack. Daniel pressed kisses into the side of Zale's head then Zada's cheek. "I'm so sorry about yesterday babies, I should have never gone off on my own."

Zale and Zada both nodded. Zale whispered into Daniel's neck, "Daddy, is Johnny going to be okay?"

Daniel nodded and led the other two siblings to the kitchen where Jack was sitting on the chair with Johnny tucked into his arms. Daniel watched as all the siblings touched Johnny and doing everything they could to reaffirm that Johnny was still there. He turned as someone pushed past Daniel and suddenly Greer was next to Johnny who suddenly seemed more awake and alert. He pressed his forehead into Greer's head when the older one leaned down. Daniel could feel the gentle comforting buzz in the back of his head which meant that Johnny was speaking telepathically but not to him, he was speaking to Greer and letting the other boy know he was doing okay. Daniel pressed his hand to his mouth at the beautiful display of love and care for his son. Akina touched him and he turned towards her and took a deep breath.

"How is the warrior that I hurt?" he asked cautiously.

The queen took Daniel's hand, "His name is Jerrin and he is healing the old fashioned way in the presence of a null, you didn't do anything wrong Daniel, he did. He attacked someone who wasn't in a battle and you defended your family. You cannot be punished for this. Trygg will be punished as well if he was culpable in the attack, we only came here to see to you and Johnny."

Daniel smiled though sobered thinking about the boy's need to be close to Johnny and know that he was safe and alive, "How was Greer yesterday when he found out?"

Akina pondered something for a moment, "He knew, he came yelling down the stairs telling me that something was wrong with Johnny and that I needed to get to him and he needed desperately to know that Johnny was alive. Daniel, he knew before I did. That's how I got to you so quickly."

Daniel looked over and wondered what was going on with them, "What does that mean Akina?"

She shrugged, "I think it means that a bond has formed between them, it could be a very strong bond of friendship or it could blossom into something greater. We shall have to see. Would you be displeased if your son ended up with mine in the end?"

Daniel shook his head with a quiet laugh, "I only care that my children are happy for the rest of their lives. But that doesn't have to be today's discussion, maybe when Johhny is thirty or so."

Akina smiled, "You should learn to be okay with it now because a bond like they have is not something that goes away. It only deepens and becomes a life affirming sort of thing."

"Then my son will have something that amazing in his life and I cannot imagine a better future than to be loved so completely," Daniel paused. "Don't tell Jack okay?" he whispered close to Akina's shoulder. She laughed in response. Jack would accept it just the same as Daniel did but Johnny was six years old and the General didn't need to know it was possible in Vannas society to know who you might be in love with so young and they could essentially lose Johnny to someone so early in life.

Adrian wrapped an arm around Daniel's shoulder, pressing his head into his shoulder and tightened his grip just a little, "I am so glad to know you can defend yourself now. Please do not stop carrying at least the dagger."

Daniel nodded, "I promise Adri."

"I was so scared when you did not return."

Daniel pressed a hand into Adrian's arm and offered what physical comfort he could give to the young man who was so important to them both. "We're okay Adri and so is Johnny thankfully."

Adrian nodded and sniffed back some tears before he moved away and they watched Jack who was still holding Johnny but tilting him upright so he could converse with his siblings a little bit and see the world from a sitting position. Daniel sighed happily, seeing his baby well enough to sit up and even throw down the occasional sign to speak to the others. Everyone stayed for a short time then Daniel decided to send those who didn't live with them on their way, Greer wasn't happy but he seemed to understand. Daniel and Jack resettled Johnny on their bed to rest and carried on about the rest of the day. There was no classes, no school or lessons. Everyone sat around the living room while Jack told stories, tales from their days in the SGC only minus the stuff their children didn't need to hear. Jack and Daniel shared about their pasts before they fell in love with each other and laughed about things they did together, before and after the love affair began. Zale and Zada asked questions about the stories, specifics while Janet and Claire just listened. There was an easy lunch of sandwiches and Johnny rejoined them after a long nap and before long they were eating dinner in which Johnny joined for some more soup being hand fed to him while Zale and Zada snickered about him being spoiled and maybe they should get hurt to be treated in such a way. Jack and Daniel both argued against that particular plan before they changed and got ready for bed and when the other four were standing, unsure, at the base of the stairs Jack and Daniel looked towards each other then nodded towards their bedroom. Jack and Daniel, with Johnny in between them were in the center of the mattress with Janet and Claire tucked behind Daniel's back and the Z twins behind Jack and they were smashed in together but smiling at the fact as Daniel whispered another story about the day Zale and Zada were born and everyone slipped into slumber and Daniel quickly followed.


	33. Intentions

**Chapter Thirty-Three: Intentions  
>Author's note: Apologies for the time between chapters and there is Sam bashing in this chapter and after the last she sort of has it coming but i wanted to give any hardcore JackSam fans who are holding out some hope to not be offended. Thanks, i love reviews!**

Jack walked out of his home, leaving Daniel in bed with Johnny who was well enough to get out of bed but the little boy and his Daddy didn't seem willing to let each other go. The other four kids were spending the day hanging at the house and Jack needed to know what the hell happened the other day.

He found himself on Sam's doorstep and knocked quickly on the door, when it opened Sam stared at him in shock. "Sir!" she said, shock knocking her back to the military mindset.

"Carter, we need to talk," he said keeping it short.

She nodded and took a step back and he walked in, Jack could hear the children in the recess of the house somewhere. Sam moved to sit down in the living room area which through the kitchen and past the dining area. They sat down and Jack just watched her fidget under his judging gaze. He didn't know what he was going to get here with her; he doesn't understand why she let his son run into danger, especially alone.

"I didn't think I would see you here," she finally said.

"Daniel told you to stay away," it wasn't a question but she nodded anyway. "He may not want to see you but I want an answer, why the hell would you let him go?"

Sam wrapped her arms around herself; it was a posture that he'd seen on Daniel so many times and the comparison made Jack fume. "Jack, he demanded to be let go. He was struggling and I was having a hard time keeping him there."

"Bullshit!" Jack snapped harshly and she flinched, "He told us that you told him to go, you let him barrel towards a fight, he almost died because of it so don't lie to me!"

Sam sighed, "Jack."

Jack grunted, didn't like the familiarity right now.

"I don't know what happened, I watched you run off after Daniel again and I just saw red. We'd been spending so much time together lately. I don't know what I was thinking, I wasn't really."

Jack took in a deep breath, "You took my child's life into your hands, and he would have died if we hadn't been here in Magictown. How dare you?"

"I love you Jack!" she screeched, cutting him off from continuing his rant.

"That's bullshit too, and you know it. I don't know what you think was happening beyond planning my son and daughters party but you were fooling yourself. You have always been a friend and nothing more, Daniel made that impossible from the very beginning and I thought you were in love with Teal'c."

Sam shrugged and stood, starting to pace back and forth, "I don't know what happened but it was like after going home and coming back I was forced to realize that the only thing we had in common was our children and the last ten years together."

Jack sighed, "I hate to hear that but again, how could you bring Johnny into whatever the hell was going on between you and Teal'c or even what you imagined was happening between you and I?"

Sam paused in front of him, her fingers coming towards him in claws and grabbed him by the collar. Jack gripped her wrists, trying to pry them away from him but she then slammed her lips down on his mouth and Jack jerked away from her quickly. He didn't feel more than annoyance and disgust for what ever this woman was doing right now with her life. He stood and pushed her back away from him and took several steps away from her, "I don't know what's going on right now but until you get your head on straight, just stay away. I can't guarantee what Daniel would do."

Sam turned away, tears shimmering in her eyes and breathing heavily with whatever was going on in her head after she planted one on him. He turned back towards the back of the house and found Teal'c playing with his three children. He waved to Teal'c who nodded to him, "You're always welcome T."

He gave a solemn nod and Jack headed back to his house. He wondered what was going to happen between Sam and Teal'c. What would happen to their children and what would happen to the relationship between the four of them? Sam's kiss and flirting could have been forgiven but the danger she put Johnny in was not so easily forgotten. He opened the back door and was immediately swamped by children but he just passed his hand over their heads and walked to the bedroom where Daniel was wrapped around Johnny in bed. He sighed and walked over to the bed, leaned down and pressed his lips to the side of his lover's head.

"Hey, what happened with Sam?" Daniel whispered, he'd been awake and waiting for Jack's approach to speak.

Jack pressed another kiss to the outside of his eye, "I don't know Danny, I really don't know. I do know that she's not allowed anywhere near our children, she purposefully put him in danger for some stupid reason and she kissed me."

Daniel turned and frowned at Jack for a moment, "Uh huh well she can stay away from you too."

And that was it, Daniel's response on the subject of Jack's shared smooch with someone he'd always considered his sister and friend. Daniel must have seen his confusion because he pulled a hand away from Johnny's waist and tucked it into the crook of Jack's neck and gave a tired little smile, "Did you kiss her Jack?"

"No of course not, I would never do something like that to you," Jack said, disgust apparently evident in his tone.

Daniel pressed up to kiss Jack on the mouth to which he glad responded to for a second before Daniel pulled away, "I don't know what to do or feel about Sam, the rage is gone and I don't understand where we go from here but I know that you are loyal and in love with me. Same way I know I am in love with you and we both love our children so nothing else matters right now."

Jack pressed his forehead into Daniel's and heaved a laugh, "You are a great man Daniel Jackson."

"I know," the other man returned, smiling through his words.

"And I don't deserve you," Jack whispered.

"Maybe," was said with a shrug.

"You were silly enough to marry me and have children with me so I'm not letting you go ever."

"Good."

Jack pressed another kiss to Daniel's cheek, leaned farther over to rub a gentle hand through Johnny's hair before he left his boys to their napping. Johnny was still sleeping today and they were letting him. He figured after some play time with the other kids, he and Daniel could switch and he would get his chance to curl around his son and be grateful.


	34. Dreaming

**Chapter Thirty-Four: Dreaming**

Unlike many of the magical recoveries Daniel and Jack had suffered through in the Vannas world, it seemed that Johnny's injuries were slow to heal. Akina and Erica both took turns checking the boy only to state that he was fine, the trauma of the attack had just been much more than his little body could handle quickly, despite his magical bio-mama. Daniel and Jack truly took turns with Johnny so the little boy would never wake up alone since the following day was filled with nightmares every couple of hours. Daniel was tired and grumpy by the time the third evening rolled around and Johnny agreed to sleep in his own bed as long as Zada was with him. Never can tell which of the children were going to lob onto each other in these times but Daniel gladly placed his little boy in his bed and kissed him on the head before thanking his daughter for staying with him.

Then Daniel proceeded to drop unceremoniously into his bed where Jack was sitting with a book, reading quietly in the silence of their home, the only time it was ever silent was in the evening and early morning before everyone burst from their beds for breakfast.

"You doing okay over there Danny?" Jack asked and Daniel wanted to punch him for the smirk he could hear in his husband's voice.

"Bite me Jack," was Daniel's only reply.

"Is that any way to speak to your husband who loves you?" Jack chided gently and Daniel heard the gentle pop as Jack closed his book and set it aside. He just stayed where he was, legs hanging off the bed a little with is body at a slight angle, shoving his head pretty close to Jack's pillow. He was still in his clothes though he hadn't worn shoes for much of the last couple days since he'd spent a good portion shushing his screaming child. To this day, in the midst of a screaming fit brought on by a vision or a bad dream Johnny would only really calm down for Daniel so he'd had a long day of it.

"That's how I'm going to speak to you whether you were my husband or not," Daniel finally muttered darkly. "I'm exhausted Jack and you are not going to keep me awake for anything."

"Then maybe you should get into your sleeping clothes and actually get into bed," Jack said, that laugh still there just barely concealed in Jack's words.

"No," Daniel griped.

Jack shifted on the bed, reaching over to help Daniel with his clothes, first helping to unbutton his pants and start the slow journey from off his legs. Daniel grunted and helped when he felt like it before Jack finally got the garment off, his shirts soon followed the pants and then Jack grabbed something from the bedside table and Daniel grunted at him, a warning that he was in no mood for sex right now.

"Not that Danny, just relax."

"M'relaxed," Daniel mumbled into the pillow, rubbing his nose into the scent of _DanielJack _that permeated the fabric.

"No you're exhausted and crabby which is totally different."

Daniel huffed, "Stop laughing at me Jack or I will hurt you—when I wake up that is. Really you're just not going to see it coming so there."

Jack chuckled at Daniel's tired feistiness but then his warm hands were on Daniel's shoulders and the younger man sighed as the lavender scent of their massage oil filled the room and Daniel wondered how Jack had been able to contain the scent till the last second. He moaned into the feeling of Jack's strong fingers digging into the knotted muscles. He took time to move through the upper shoulder, down the middle of his spine and just kept moving. Jack paused a few times to get more oil on his hands and soon Daniel was jelly under Jack's talented fingers. Daniel was on the edge of sleep when Jack climbed off his butt, leaned in close and pressed a gentle kiss to Daniel's temple and cheek. He smiled sleepily and looked up at Jack who was smiling at him.

"Now you're relaxed," Jack whispered and Daniel smiled. He shivered a little in the cooling air, now that Jack was pressing himself down on Daniel's body. Jack quickly pulled the blanket up and over both of them and Jack pressed himself close to Daniel's body, "Sleep Danny. You have had a hard day, just go to sleep."

Daniel nodded and before he had a chance to say anything like 'thank you' or 'I love you' to Jack, he was out. He slept, though it wasn't as deep as he would wish it. Daniel's mind kept expecting to hear Johnny scream or cry out so when he sunk deep enough into his mind that he dreamed, it was a surprise.

He stood on a beach, maybe somewhere from his past but Daniel wasn't sure. He did know his children surrounded him but they were no longer young children, they were teenagers' maybe and they were all running around, playing with other teens. Daniel watched them, a smile on his face as Jack showed Zale and Johnny how to throw and catch a ball. Daniel was always amused about the idea of his children playing any kinds of sports, not only because they were book nerds but also Vannas didn't have any use for games that didn't teach the child some aspect of defense or offense.

There was nothing more to the dream, no awful thing about to happen and no hard times to be had. It wasn't really life, but it was a moment. There is such a thing as a moment where nothing else is going on, just happiness that rolls over Daniel like a wave, when his five beautiful babies were all around him and sitting next to his husband and he didn't need anything else.

When Daniel woke up again, ages later he was actually well rested and smiling. He shifted to see Jack was looking at him and he leaned in close to press his lips to Jack's mouth, he could feel the smile answering his.

"Good morning Jack," he whispered into Jack's lips.

"Good morning Danny," Jack returned with a smile.

Daniel realized something all of a sudden when he pressed his palm into Jack's throat gently. He realized that it wouldn't matter if his children's magic caused countless times of drama, it wouldn't matter if Johnny never spoke for his whole life, or Jack would struggle through something like he had with the depression. Life came with disaster and sadness but it also came with family and love, passion and joy so this thing called life was always going to be worth the exhaustion and frustration of parenthood, even the drama that they were struggling through with Sam, in the end as long as they always remembered each other, then they were going to be okay.

"Always together right My Jack?" Daniel asked.

Jack smiled, all teeth and happiness. "Yeah my beautiful Danny, always together."

Daniel wrapped his arms around Jack's neck, pulling himself close and stayed still in the momentary silence, knowing it wouldn't last long and surprisingly he wouldn't have it any other way.


End file.
